Forever Dawn
by PerfectDisaster22
Summary: Their lives are ending. The Lee sisters will be dead within a year. They have nothing left to lose... except their hearts. Which is exactly what might happen when, in the course of extending their lives a few more months, they meet the Cullen brothers...
1. Introduction: Legal Jargon & Mumbo Jumbo

**Author's Note**: Over the summer, I was introduced to the _Twilight_ saga by my youngest sister. I got into the series with just enough time to read the first three books twice apiece before the release of _Breaking Dawn_ (I have really good timing). I read the series once and was instantly hooked; read it twice and became convinced that Edward is a god; read it thrice and switched allegiance from Team Edward to Team Emmett (because, as my favorite piece of flair on Facebook says, _Emmett: hot like Edward, fun like Jacob… lacks the qualities that makes them both bitches_).

When I finished reading _Breaking Dawn_ (a process that took me a day of nonstop reading), one of my good friends, Henderson, and I started writing a lot of _Twilight_ RP via AIM (another reason why my allegiance changed to Team Emmett). One of those RPs became the basis for what you're about to read.

It's incredibly lengthy (a grand total of 57 pages on Word using Trebuchet MT size 11 font), so I was forced to turn this into a short series, instead of a one-shot like I wanted. How long is "long"? Well, counting this not-really-a-chapter chapter, 10 chapters long. 25,000+ words long. Four months' worth of work long. I hope you enjoy it.

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* * *

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Disclaimer

: I have a lot of material to cover here, so please bear with me as I break this down into seven mini-disclaimers.

**A**: Let's do the obvious one first… All characters, and the world of _Twilight_, belong to Stephenie Meyer. I don't own Edward, Emmett, and the rest of the Cullens (or any of the other vampires, or the briefly mentioned werewolves), no matter how much I wish I did. Just about all character information and inspiration comes either from the series, Wikipedia, or from .

**B**: I'm going to apologize right now to fans of Bella Swan and Rosalie Hale, neither of whom appear in this story; in Henderson's and my world, they don't exist. We'll be playing their parts for the duration of the story. For the same reason, I apologize to the book (and fanfic) purists- my favorite trick is to replace canon characters with ones of my own invention. So if you were hoping for an Edward/Bella and/or Emmett/Rosalie tribute, you're in the wrong place. You're not likely to ever catch me writing one of those (though you never know).

**C**: While we're at it, this is (in case you couldn't already tell) a ridiculously Alternate Universe Fan Fiction. For the same reason, I apologize if some of the characters are- le gasp!- Out Of Character (!!!), Edward and Emmett especially. I tried my best, but I know the original characters are better.

**D**: The title for this series, _Forever Dawn_, comes from the name of the original sequel to _Twilight_, which Stephenie Meyer never published (though with any luck she'll post bits and pieces of it on her website in the future) . Hopefully she won't mind if I borrow it for my little fic, since the title came down to either this or _Breaking Dawn_.

**E**: _Forever Dawn_ is heavily influenced by the actual canon plot (we kinda pieced together what we thought were the fun bits from all four books), but the series of events and content of this story are the product of Henderson and myself. We also very obviously own the characters of Henderson and Roxanne Lee.

**F**: Apologies to any med students or psychiatrists who may stumble across this story. The medical situations I gave to my characters, especially Roxanne, are completely implausible, and, being a Psychology minor who's taken enough biology-based psych classes to know better, I know that. However, it makes for a really good dramatic situation, so I rejected your reality and substituted my own. Do forgive me.

**G**: If there's anyone or anything I forgot to write a statement about in this obscenely long and almost contract-like disclaimer, my apologies. This is the catch-all clause: DON'T OWN, DIDN'T HAPPEN, DON'T SUE PLEASE!!


	2. One: Hopeless

The blue '88 Oldsmobile cut through the thick fog of the Washington morning, its fog lights the only bright spot in the driver's vision. Not that it wasn't a pretty drive; the road was sheltered on either side by huge trees covered in moss, and ferns clustered on the ground. If the fog would clear and the sun would shine, this would be a perfect Sunday morning drive. But the Olympic Peninsula was one of the most sunless places in the world. There would be very few sunny days for the two people in the car, which is why the driver suspected the passenger had chosen to move to Forks- to get away from the cheer and brightness that would remind them both of how soon darkness would fall on them.

The driver shook her head as she looked out the windshield into the fog. "You sure know how to pick 'em," she said lightly, tucking a few stray blades of hair behind her ear. "People back home would think we're vampires, moving here."

Her hair was dyed blond, with highlights of green and purple liberally strewn throughout. It had been cut into short, choppy layers, the longest layer falling a bit below her chin. Her green eyes were shielded behind square-cut glasses. She was dressed in a maroon Ramones shirt with a black vest over it, dark, ripped jeans, and red chucks. Her nails were painted black. She was very skinny, but the daintiness suited her.

She threw another glance over at her passenger, trying to conceal the worry in her eyes. "How're you doing?"  
The passenger gave her a wry smile. "I'm fine, Henderson. Just like I was the last time you asked… twenty minutes ago."

Henderson Lee nodded, but continued to keep a close eye on the passenger as they drove to Forks. The passenger leaned back in her seat, closing her eyes and focusing her attention on the music blaring through the speakers- Situations by Escape The Fate, one of Henderson's favorite bands.

Her thick dark brown hair fell in perfect curls to the bottom of her ribcage. She was pale, like Henderson, and thin, but much more fragile. Beneath her kohl-rimmed eyes, which behind the lids were a startling shade of light blue-purple, were purple bags that no amount of sleep could cure. She huddled into her black Green Day hoodie and her baggy boys' jeans, curling her chuck-covered feet beneath her. Her nails, like Henderson's, were painted black.

"You sure?" Henderson asked her twin. "We can stop if you need it, Rox-"  
Roxanne Lee laughed at her sister. "You worry worse than Mom ever did, you know that? I'm fine, Hendo. Just keep driving," she said in a voice that should have belonged to an angel, the voice that was her greatest beauty.

Henderson laughed feebly, but her grip on the steering wheel tightened as her lungs constricted and a sudden, overwhelming urge for a cigarette gripped her. She had good reason to worry about her sister.

In all seriousness, the lack of sunlight had nothing to do with why the sisters had left the fun and sun of Berkeley, California. There was one reason and one reason only why the 19-year-old twins had come to Forks, and that was Dr. Carlisle Cullen. He was reputed to be one of the most knowledgeable and competent doctors in the western United States, one who could be making five times his salary if he lived in Seattle or Olympia or one of the bigger cities. But because his wife loved small towns, they had settled in Forks. It was to Dr. Cullen's hospital that the Lees were going. If anyone could help them, it would be he.

* * *

They pulled in to the hospital and walked in. Henderson gave the receptionist their name and appointment time, and ten minutes later the girls were ushered into a private room. Roxanne hopped up onto the examining table, while Henderson plopped down on the swiveling stool, and immediately started scooting around and making race car noises.

Roxanne laughed. "You realize you've done that every single time we've gone to a doctor since we were four?"  
"Of course I do," Henderson grinned. "It's the only fun part of a doctor's visit. 'Specially now that they don't give us candy and stickers anymore."

Roxanne laughed her silver bells laugh again, but before anything else could be said, the door opened and the doctor walked in.

One would have to be dead in order to not appreciate the attractiveness of Carlisle Cullen, and the Lee sisters weren't quite dead yet. He looked like a runway model, not a doctor; it seemed impossible that he was 32 years old. His blond hair was neatly swept back, and his hazel eyes stood out in his pale face. Every last feature of his body was perfect; the only hint of human frailty was in the bruise-like shadows beneath his eyes.

"Good morning, girls," he said pleasantly, his musical voice floating through the air. "I'm Dr. Cullen, and you must be Henderson," he glanced at Henderson, who'd stopped rolling herself around for the moment, "and Roxanne," he finished, walking towards the examining table.

The girls smiled and murmured hellos, shooting each other covert glances. Many people had said that the twins had an almost eerie connection, as if they could read each others' minds. It was a common enough trait among twins, but the link between the Lee sisters seemed to be nearly telepathic. Right now, they were thinking the exact same thing- this was the best-looking doctor either of them had ever seen. And they had seen a lot of doctors.

"I'm afraid we'll have to start at the beginning," Dr. Cullen said apologetically as he looked through Roxanne's extensive medical file. "This file is in complete disarray; I can hardly make sense of it. When were you diagnosed, Roxanne?"  
"Two years ago," she replied evenly, swinging her legs gently and looking down at her lap. "Just before my seventeenth birthday. When I was diagnosed, Dr. Fields said the tumor must have been there at least a year."  
"And he said it was a traveling but invasive tumor, correct?" Dr. Cullen asked as he flicked through another dozen pages of convoluted doctors' notes.  
"Yes," she said, gripping the edge of the examining table. "He said that the tumor would eventually travel from my right frontal lobe down the corpus callosum, severing neural connections as it went, and would someday lodge in the cerebellum, and that would kill me."  
"What kinds of treatments have been tried?" Dr. Cullen asked.

Roxanne rattled off a long list of medications and treatments, none of which had worked, all of which had ended up making her sicker. Dr. Cullen frowned at some of them, disturbed that some of the riskier, experimental treatments had been tested on this fragile girl.

"Finally, Dr. Gregory told us that the tumor wasn't treatable. Dunno how he came to _that_ conclusion," Roxanne ended, a smile gracing her lips as the sarcasm coated her words.  
Dr. Cullen gave a short laugh. "With your permission, we'll order up a round of CT scans, an MRI, and an EEG reading, to see how large the tumor is, and if it's spreading. After I've read those, we'll see if there's anything else we can try."

* * *

After the appointment had been made for the tests, the girls got back in Henderson's beloved car, and made the short drive to their new home. They were staying in a small house that had been put up for rent, which they paid for from their meager inheritance from their recently deceased mother.

When they got home, Roxanne went to her room, claiming a headache. Meanwhile, Henderson slipped outside for a smoke. It was bad for her health, she knew that, but it calmed her anxiety, which was what she needed right now. As she chain-smoked her way through half a pack of Newports, she let her thoughts run free. And as usual, most of her thoughts were about her sister.

Roxanne hadn't always been so frail. True, she had always been the one more prone to illness, but for the first sixteen years of their life she had been mostly healthy, and active. In high school, she'd been on the volleyball team, and had been first soprano in the school choir. She'd had a boyfriend, a ring of friends and throngs of admirers. She had been the popular one of the two of them, though to her credit she had never been an elitist snob. She had had plans to someday be the curator of a museum, or the director of a fine arts center.

Her recurring problem had been her anxiety, her panic attacks. She had suffered from them since their father walked out on the family, when the girls were eleven. The attacks had gotten so bad that their mother had taken her to the first of a long line of doctors. Dr. Fields had prescribed a medication to be taken every day.

It had worked for a couple of years. But then Roxanne had started to complain of terrible, debilitating headaches. The doctors hadn't been able to find a cause for the headaches, but when Roxanne's personality began to change, and her behavior grew more erratic, they figured out what had happened. The anxiety meds had caused a tumor to grow in her right frontal lobe. The growing tumor had severed neural connections in her brain, had changed the lobe's structure and changed the way Roxanne reacted to the world. The damage was likely permanent.

From the moment the tumor had been diagnosed, their mother had frantically tried to find a cure. She had fed Roxanne every herbal supplement or new fad cure she could find, her panic growing as nothing worked. Two years later, the doctors had all but given up on Roxanne, and had guessed that she had less than five years left.

Five years. Meaning that by the time Henderson turned 25, her twin sister would be lying in her grave. It was a thought that Henderson couldn't bear to contemplate. From the moment of conception, Roxanne had been her closest friend, the only person in the world who had never abandoned her. Even when they had formed their own very distinct personalities, and had formed their own social circles, Roxanne had never left her. The rest of their school saw them as Roxanne the jock and Henderson the punk, but they'd always been side by side.

What in the world would Henderson do if Roxanne died?

Their mother hadn't been able to cope with the stress of her daughter's illness. She had become an alcoholic, and as she drank more, Henderson and Roxanne had been forced to fend for themselves. Their mother had finally succumbed to an anyeurism, leaving them alone in the world with little money and even less hope.

Henderson winced as the smoke caused her to start coughing. She muffled the sound with her hoodie sleeve, but her eyes grew wide as specks of a hot liquid flew out of her mouth. She stared at the spots of blood on her sleeve, then sighed heavily, spitting a few times to get the metallic taste out of her mouth. Silently, she walked into the house and pulled out a prescription bottle, dry swallowing two large pills.

When she had started having breathing problems half a year ago, she had written it off as her asthma being aggravated by too many cigarettes. She had gone in to the doctor secretly to get a more powerful inhaler. During the routine tests, the doctor had discovered what was really causing the wheezing.

Lung cancer.

Aggravated by her smoking, the cancer had spread quickly. There was little the doctor could do for her, other than agree not to tell her mother and sister. He had given her a deadline- five years, tops.

Henderson smiled bitterly. She knew how fast the cancer was spreading, could feel how much harder it was to pretend that there was nothing wrong. She would be lucky if she made it to 25, and Roxanne beat her for first dibs on coffins. It was far more likely that they would die within months, if not weeks, of each other, and then what?

* * *

Carlisle Cullen sighed heavily as he walked through the front door of his home. A tenth of a second of listening told him that Jasper and Alice were up in their room discussing her latest vision, Edward was in the living room playing Bach concertos, Emmett was outside playing catch football with himself, and Esme was in her study. He took the stairs two at a time and walked into his office, tossing the heavy file under his arm onto his desk.

He spent the better part of two hours meticulously wading through the medical file, trying to bring some cohesion to it. As he worked, he made copious notes, preparing his own, much more organized file. He didn't need the notes, of course, but he wanted to make the Lees confident that he was doing all he could.

What he read saddened him. By all accounts, Roxanne Lee was being cut down in her prime, and the incompetence of doctors who were more interested in Mrs. Lee's money than Roxanne's recovery had shortened her time. Their contradictory treatments had chopped precious years off of her life. He had ordered the new tests as a formality, but from what he could see, he would have to agree with the doctors who had come before him; there was little that the medical field could do to save her.

If only there was something _he_ could do…

Carlisle sighed again. A mere century ago, Roxanne would have been the perfect candidate for him to change, a perfect addition to his family- a sister for Alice and Jasper, a possible mate for Edward or Emmett, another daughter for Esme and him. His greatest compassion had always been for those who were doomed.

But he couldn't bite her now, not with the treaty with the Quileute tribe in firm place. The shape shifters would begin a war if he created another vampire. So all he could do was sit back and watch another patient die because he couldn't offer to save her.

"Carlisle?" asked the soft voice of his wife.

He looked up as Esme glided through the door. His beautiful, perfect Esme… he shuddered at the thought that he could have lost his chance with her, had he not visited the morgue the night she was brought in.

"What's wrong?" she asked, immediately picking up on her husband's disturbed state.  
Carlisle sighed, pushing back his chair so Esme could sit in his lap. "My newest patient."  
"The girl with the brain tumor," she remembered.  
"Yes," he nodded. "It's worse than I thought. As the tumor speads, she will be in pain most of the time. And it will travel quickly. She's lucky if she has another year left."  
"How sad," Esme murmured, her tender heart distressed at the thought.

Carlisle nodded, looking over Roxanne's new file bleakly. At this point, all he would be able to do would be to keep her comfortable.

"Roxanne Isabella Lee," Esme read softly. "It's a lovely name."  
"She's a lovely girl," Carlisle replied. "I worry for her twin, Henderson. They appeared especially close. I don't like to think of what will happen when Roxanne…"

He didn't finish the sentence, but then again he didn't have to. Carlisle sighed, his mind moving on quickly. He would do everything he could for Roxanne, but what could he do for Henderson to prepare her for the separation that was coming?

* * *

Roxanne sat quietly as Dr. Cullen delivered the news.

One year, if that.

It was nothing more or less than she had expected; other doctors had told her much the same thing. She should be feeling depressed, or desperate, she supposed. But all she felt at the moment was resignation, and a mind-numbing apathy. She drew the numb sensation around herself gratefully, more than happy to put off the despair for a few more hours.

"I will do anything in my power to keep you functioning comfortably for as long as I can," he was saying. "There is a medication that I can prescribe for the headaches, and I'm going to take you off of several of the pills you are currently taking, and prescribe just one in their place. Other than that… I'm sorry."

She looked up; he looked like he actually meant his apology, unlike many of the other doctors, who had delivered it by rote, but didn't actually care how she did, as long as she kept paying for their ludicrous treatments. Pulling on her game face, she found a smile for the doctor and thanked him, then motioned to her sister and left.

She glanced at Henderson when her sister started coughing. "Are you all right?" she asked, concern lacing her voice.  
Henderson waved her hand dismissively. "Fine, fine. Just my asthma- I don't know if you've noticed, Rox, but it's damp here."

Roxanne nodded, but the creases in her brow remained. Henderson wasn't the best for taking care of herself; it had always been Roxanne's job to make sure Henderson was at least somewhat healthy. What would happen when she could no longer take care of her twin?

The drive home was silent. Each girl was mulling over what Dr. Cullen had said, was trying to deal with the grim news he'd been forced to deliver, was wondering what could be done now that it was certain that Roxanne was going to die soon.

When they got home, they sank down around their kitchen table. For a moment more, there was only silence, and then Roxanne spoke, trying desperately to hold herself together as long as she was before her twin.

"I don't want to obsess over it," she said. "I told you I scried last month to find out how long, and I knew it would only be a year. So I have a year. I don't want to cause a huge fuss about it. We'll do what we can with the time, and then I just want to go quietly."  
"How can you be so calm?!" Henderson burst out, fighting back the tears. "Roxie, you're DYING! You have a year, and then you'll be GONE! All the things you wanted to do… get married, have kids, be a curator… you can't do that now! How can you just sit there and accept it?!"  
Roxanne sat silently through Henderson's rant, then spoke quietly. "I've been dealing with dying for two years now, Hendo. I've spent two years trying to deal with it without crying too hard, or having a panic attack, because that'll just aggravate the damn tumor and give me a headache. I've had a lot of time to think, and… and I'm ready."  
"I can't let you go," Henderson said in a tiny voice.  
The tears welled in Roxanne's eyes then. "You're not letting me go. I'll still be right there. I'm gonna haunt the fuck outta you."

The sisters stood as if on a silent signal and threw their arms around each other, holding each other tight. Henderson broke away first, going to her room and shutting the door. When she was gone, Roxanne pinched the bridge of her nose, wincing as she felt the headache starting. She left Henderson a quick note saying she was going on a walk, then took off for the forest.

* * *

She kept to the path, but all too soon the trail disappeared, and then there were just the trees. She was alone now, and as soon as she realized that, she dropped her brave face.

Roxanne stopped dead in her tracks, staring at the carcass a few yards before her. It was a grizzly bear, and it lay on its side, utterly still. She walked up to it in a daze, and sank down beside it, leaning back against its bulk. She supposed it was morbid, cozying up to a corpse, but it didn't stink, and its fur was soft. Besides, she should get used to stillness; someday she would be as cold as the bear.

The tears started falling then, fast and furious. She couldn't contain them, and though she knew it would cause her a massive headache later, for once she let herself sob, and scream.

She was nineteen years old, and she would be lucky if she saw her next birthday. It wasn't fair! She wasn't supposed to be dying yet! There was so much she had wanted to do, to see… and now she would never have the chance.

Eventually, the sobs stopped, the tears slowed, and she was able to try to think. Roxanne was a pagan, and she believed that life was just a cycle of life, death, and rebirth. She would go on to live again; maybe she would even be reincarnated with Henderson as her sister again.

But that didn't change the fact that she wanted to live _this_ life a little longer. Blessed Goddess, she hadn't even been in love yet. She hadn't traveled out of the country. She hadn't gone to college; the tumor had made sure of that. She hadn't had a pet, or a place of her own. And now she never would.

Closing her eyes, she laid her head against the bear's, and began to cry again.

* * *

He watched her silently from the tree where he was hidden. He had just been about to leave when he smelled her coming. He should have run off, but instead he had leapt up into the tree, and he had watched her.

She should have been terrified that she'd stumbled onto a bear corpse, completely drained of blood. Instead, she had sunk beside it, curled up into its side, and had started crying. He'd wished at that moment that he had his brother's gift of reading minds; he would've given almost anything to know what was causing her such agony.

She was the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen in his life- and he was 93 years old, so that was saying something. He found himself wanting to bury his fingers in her hair, to see if her body, which was shrouded in clothes at least two sizes too big for her, was as perfect as her face. He wanted to make her smile, maybe even laugh.

Despite her beauty, he could see how frail she was. He gathered that she had to be sick- cancer, maybe? He could smell the scent of his father's hospital on her, could even catch a whiff of his father. If she'd been with his father, she must be his new case. Roxanne Lee, the brain tumor patient. He bit his lip as he watched her. From her tears, apparently there was nothing his father could do.

He didn't like the thought. She was so young, so beautiful… why should she have to die? He found himself desperately wanting to help her. Even if there was nothing that medicine could do, surely he and his father could offer her the one path that would save her.

"Roxanne," he whispered, the name- like honey on his tongue- wrapping around his brain and insinuating itself into every corner of his being.

Confused by his sudden attachment to her, and his fierce desire to protect her, but knowing that he had no other choice, he nodded once and jumped through the trees, swinging like Tarzan on his way home.


	3. Two: A Future Restored

**Author's Note**: I hadn't meant to post this chapter so soon, but Henderson (with whom I wrote this RP, and for whom I turned that RP into this story) begged me for it, because she wanted Edward. So, because I love her, here's this chapter! Enjoy!

**Disclaimer**: The song Roxie sings is _I Need You To Love Me_, by BarlowGirl. It's really a Christian song, but for some reason it's the song I associate with Em/Roxie during my RPs with Henderson. Don't ask me why. But it's a pretty song, you should youtube it.

* * *

Emmett Cullen sat in his room, unusually fidgety. He considered going outside to play catch with himself- one of his favorite pastimes- but immediately discarded the idea, knowing that no matter what activity he threw himself into, it wouldn't be enough to wipe the impatience away.

He was waiting for twilight, which lately had become the best part of his day. At twilight, he would leave the house and would sprint silently through the forest until he came to the small, two-story rental house on the fringes of town. He would clamber into the tree nearest her window, and he would watch her.

It made him a stalker, he supposed, but he couldn't stay away from her. He was utterly fascinated by her, and every little thing he learned about her only led to more questions he wanted answered.

He watched her bedroom, primarily, though he would always leave when she stood to shower or change, and he would duck out of sight whenever she happened to whip her head around to the window. He would keep a silent guard over the house all night long, filling the hours by watching her read, or be with her twin, or sleep. His favorite, though, was to watch her sing; it was the only time when she looked truly peaceful.

He knew what was happening to him, though he tried to trivialize and deny it. Most people didn't know it, but Emmett was incredibly perceptive, both of others and himself. He was quick to recognize the unfamiliar emotions stirring in him, and even though he knew he could not and would not do anything about them, those emotions were his deepest secret and greatest comfort at the moment (despite the fact that he was driving Jasper crazy by feeling emotions that, by any rights, he shouldn't have any business indulging in).

He settled into his customary branch, which by now had become contoured to his shape, his golden eyes intent on her. Roxanne was seated on her bed, a guitar in her hands. The window was closed, but that didn't muffle the sound for him at all. He leaned against the trunk of the tree, silently listening as she sang to herself. If Edward were there, he probably would have recognized the song, Emmett thought, before shrugging. He didn't care what it was, just that the woman he was falling in love with was singing it.

_I need you to love me… and I… I won't keep my heart from you this time… and I'll stop this pretending… that I can… somehow deserve what I already have… I need you to love me…_

* * *

He stood in the shadows, across the street from the little house where his brother had been coming every night for the past three weeks. He had gotten so curious about where Emmett was disappearing to every night that he'd asked Alice what was going on.

Her only response was, "Follow him, you need to see it too."

Sometimes, Alice could be truly infuriating.

At first, he hadn't seen what was so special about the house; it was just a ramshackle, run-down little rental number. It was obviously inhabited by mortals, but why they should hold such interest for Emmett had been a mystery.

Then he'd seen them.

He'd known instantly why Emmett was attracted to her; he'd have known it even if he couldn't hear his brother's thoughts. The girl was delicate and beautiful, and obviously sickly. Emmett had always had a soft spot for damsels in distress. But what Edward had not understood was why Emmett kept coming back.

Fortunately, though, Alice had been in a particularly good mood this evening, and he had learned what was going on.

"Alice, why does Emmett keep going back to that house?" he'd asked as they sat watching the news.  
Alice smiled, her elfin features taking on a mischievous grin. "You're slipping, Edward. I had this vision weeks ago, but you haven't caught it yet?"  
Edward smiled indulgently at his sister's teasing. "When you're done mocking me, let me know."  
"No, I'm done," she said. "I saw him saving her from her brain tumor. Her name's Roxanne, by the way. I like her."  
Edward raised his eyebrows. "You've met her?"  
Alice laughed. "Not yet. I've been seeing her a lot, though," she said, tapping her head. "Nearly every time Emmett leaves the house, I see flashes of his future, and it always involves her. You should go with him one of these days," she said suddenly.  
Edward tilted his head, searching through Alice's thoughts. "Why?"  
She shrugged, her eyes deceptively wide. "It could be amusing, that's all," she said innocently as she mentally recited the Pledge of Allegiance backwards in Korean.

Edward rolled his eyes and left his sister to her thoughts, shaking his head. But that night, he had secretly followed Emmett to the house on Spruce Street. He kept a safe distance so Emmett wouldn't know he was there, and he had settled in to watch.

He watched his brother as his brother watched the girl. Every once in a while, a tiny smile would ghost across Emmett's face, or an amused sparkle would light in his normally guarded eyes. There was something else in his face and posture, or perhaps it was rather that something was missing; there was complete relaxation and contentment, something he had rarely seen in Emmett, the eternal protector. For that reason alone, Edward was racking his brains, creating and discarding a hundred plans for introducing him to this mortal.

His matchmaking schemes were interrupted by the emergence of a girl from the front door. She was Roxanne's twin, he was sure of it, though their facial structures were not terribly similar. It was more a similarity in physicality that marked them as siblings.

He was dumbfounded as he realized that he could not hear a single thought coming from her.

He must have been mistaken. Or perhaps he was too far out of range, given that he'd never heard her mind before? He took a few cautious steps forward, then several more.

Nothing. It was as if she was a black hole for mental sound.

Edward furrowed his brow, puzzled. There had never been a human whose thoughts he couldn't hear; what was different about this girl?

The wind shifted, and he froze.

The venom filled his mouth in an instant, and all thoughts were driven out of his mind except for one: that this insignificant human smelled better than any he had ever come across. Her scent was a combination of smells, all earthy and hearty and somewhat spicy. It was as if her blood had been created especially for him. He had heard the Italian term for it, of course; the Volturi called such a one _cantante_, singer.

Any veneer of humanity left him. He was a predator, she his prey. It was that simple. He would have her, would fill his veins with her hot, unbearably mouthwatering blood. He could do it silently, and so quickly that her sister would never know what had happened.

Thought of Roxanne gave him a second's pause. Emmett was right there, barely 300 yards from him. If there was any hint of trouble, he would be right there, either to pin Edward down or take him away, whichever was most effective. He stood no chance against Emmett's strength. Edward could smell his brother's scent all over the lot; he had been guarding his lady love well, and Edward knew without question that his brother would massacre him if he harmed Roxanne or her sister.

That thought was sufficient to convince him to walk away from this delectable but confusing human, to melt into the shadows and try to retrieve his sanity.

"Henderson Lee," he mused softly as he ran to his meadow as quickly as possible to try to find his humanity again. "Thanks a lot, Alice."

* * *

Roxanne sat on the swing on the porch, watching the deepening twilight and letting her thoughts meander as they willed.

Lately she had constantly felt like she was being watched. It wasn't a frightening feeling; actually, it was rather comforting, like she had a guardian angel that was looking out for her. A few times, she had even sworn she saw someone sitting in the tree outside her bedroom window. She would only catch the quickest glimpse of a figure in her peripheral figure; when she whipped around to the window, the figure would be gone.

She would think she was going crazy, except for the fact that her mystery figure had started leaving her presents on her windowsill. Sometimes she would find a single flower resting on the sill, sometimes a beautiful feather, or lovely fall leaves.

She was burning with curiosity to know who her guardian was. And tonight she intended to find out. She knew that she tended to feel the protective presence around twilight, and she wanted to see if she could meet it.

She rose silently and walked to the side of the house, where her bedroom window was. She stood absolutely still as she saw a flash of white dart into the forest.

"Hello?" she called softly.

Cautiously, she walked forward, toward the tree where the flash of white had disappeared.

"Are you the one that's been watching me?" she breathed, her voice barely above a whisper.  
A ghostly voice answered, just as softly. "Yes."

Her heart skipped a beat, then pumped erratically. She swallowed hard before speaking.

"Who are you?"

An interminable moment passed. Then, extremely slowly, he emerged.

Roxanne stood absolutely still, just staring at him. He truly was an angel; no human was that beautiful. His skin was pale, but perfect. He was tall, at least a foot taller than her 5'5", and incredibly muscular, but he didn't look bulky, just… powerful. His hair was dark brown, cut close to his head. His gorgeous butterscotch eyes were cautious, guarded. He moved forward slowly, as if afraid of startling her. For a moment, all was silent.

"Who are you?" Roxanne breathed once more.  
"My name is Emmett," he replied, clamping down on the desire to tell her everything, knowing he should never have let her see him.  
"Why have you been watching me?" she asked, taking a step forward.  
"I'm sorry," he said, bowing his head.  
She shook her head. "I'm not angry, I'm just… curious."  
Emmett drew a deep breath. "I saw you in the woods, that night you were by the bear corpse."  
Roxanne stared at him, startled. "I thought there was no one there…"  
He bit his lip. "I was in a tree, watching you."  
A faint ghost of a smile crossed her lips. "Is this a habit of yours?"  
"Apparently," he responded, smiling slightly, before growing serious. "You were so upset… I knew you were one of my father's patients."  
She furrowed her brow. "You're one of Dr. Cullen's children?"  
Emmett nodded. "I saw you, and… I wanted to help you."  
She smiled wistfully. "Nothing can really help me at this point."

Emmett fought back the urge to tell her exactly how he could help her. He didn't want to frighten her, and he didn't think she would be too enthused about the only way he could save her.

"I'm sorry I've bothered you," he said, turning to go.  
"No, wait," Roxanne said beseechingly.

Emmett paused at the edge of the tree line, hardly believing that she wanted him to stay, even if it was only momentarily. What amazed him more was that she was advancing toward him, apparently not afraid of him at all, as she should have been. How was it possible that she was ignoring the warnings her subconscious had to be screaming at her?

He turned to face her, fighting back an urge even stronger than the standard bloodlust- an urge to take her in his arms and make her his.

"How did you know about me?" she asked.  
"I shadowed my father at the hospital the day you came in for your test results," he said.

The lie rolled off his tongue more easily than he thought it would. But it tasted terrible. He didn't want to lie to her. He wanted her to know everything. And that was very, very dangerous.

He stood very still as she walked forward, furrowing his brow as she lifted her left hand. "What are you-?"  
"Shh," she hushed him, closing her eyes.

She spread her fingers out, holding her lifted palm up. For a moment, she just stood there, but then her eyes snapped open, and she stared at him, her every muscle tensed.

"You're a vampire," she breathed.

Emmett froze; how had she figured that out? He'd given no signs to what he truly was. She was on her guard now, finally heeding the warning signs from her subconscious. Happy though he was to see that she did have some sense for self-preservation, Emmett found he loathed the fact that her trust had been shut off now that she knew what he was.

"How did you-?"  
"I'm a pagan, I taught myself to sense auras," she said, the words flowing quickly. "And yours… I know what a cold one feels like."  
He stared. "How do you know what a vampire feels like?"  
"I met one, a drifter, back home in California," she said. "He's the reason I became pagan and started researching everything. Garrett was a good friend. I think he's in Alaska now..."

She was babbling now, words flowing out of her meaninglessly as she struggled to compose herself. She should be terrified, she knew; vampires were dangerous exactly because they were so seductive. This one must have been hunting her; she shouldn't be playing in to his trap. And yet, she couldn't bring herself to be afraid, or to run away from him.

He stared at her, dumbstruck. "But… you're not running…"  
Roxanne shrugged, though her posture was still somewhat wary. "If you meant to kill me, you would have done it already," she said, hoping that it was true.  
He furrowed his brow. "You're really not afraid?"  
"Death doesn't frighten me. Not now," she replied.

He shook his head slowly, trying to reorient himself. He hadn't meant to meet her face-to-face, and he definitely hadn't meant for her to learn his secret, but he wasn't one to walk away. If she honestly wasn't fazed by the fact that he was inhuman, then he had no reason to leave her.

"So… Now what do we do?" she asked.  
He drew a deep breath, then held his hand out. "We start over. My name's Emmett Cullen."  
She smiled lightly and shook his hand, not flinching away from his ice-cold skin. "Roxanne Lee. Nice to meet you."

* * *

Henderson smiled to herself as she sat in the Jeep with Emmett, Roxanne, and Esme. Alice had predicted a storm tonight, so the family was going to play baseball for the third time that month.

It had been two months since Emmett walked into Roxanne's life. Henderson would be eternally grateful to Emmett; he had lifted Roxanne's spirits just when Henderson thought that her twin had given up all hope. He had given her something to live for, and the effect was nothing short of miraculous. She was smiling again, and making plans for the future. Even the medication Carlisle had prescribed seemed to be buying her a little more time.

It was pretty much assumed that Roxanne would be bitten and turned sometime after her 20th birthday. It was this fact that Henderson despised. Not that her sister would be saved from death and aging; rather that the twins would finally be separated for all eternity, Roxanne immortal and forever beautiful while Henderson withered away and died.

A brief moment of envy flashed through Henderson as she caught the smile and look between Emmett and Roxanne, a look that stated quite plainly that, for them, there was no one else in the world at the moment. It wasn't that Henderson wanted Emmett for herself; more that she envied Roxanne the fact that she had her guardian angel/teddy bear/soul mate, and Henderson had… nothing.

Sighing, Henderson turned her thoughts back to the impending game as Emmett parked the jeep and helped Roxanne out of her off-road harness before gently tossing her on his back and taking off into the forest. Esme turned in her seat, quickly helping Henderson before doing the same. Moments later, they stood in the baseball field.

Emmett and Esme set Roxanne and Henderson down behind the home plate. Esme took her place as referee; Emmett dropped a kiss on Roxanne's forehead before stepping up to bat. Roxanne laid her head on Henderson's shoulder as the girls proceeded to enjoy the game.

While Roxanne cheered on the team of Carlisle, Alice and Emmett, Henderson let her gaze drift toward the "youngest" Cullen. The one who was the most distant, the most unfriendly. The one who had somehow managed to worm his way into Henderson's head, and refused to leave.

Henderson sighed. It was stupid, imagining that she had a crush on Edward Cullen. He had made it quite obvious that

(a) He thought Emmett was insane for exposing the family to two humans.  
(b) He considered Emmett sadistic for his resolution to make Roxanne a member of the family (not that he objected to Roxanne, he just didn't understand why Emmett wanted to subject her to the transformation).  
(c) He just objected to Henderson, period.

Normally, Henderson wasn't bothered by people not liking her. She found it amusing, actually. But for some reason, the knowledge that Edward disliked her so made it incredibly hard to be around the Cullen family.

Especially when Henderson was pretty sure she was in love with Edward.

It was ridiculous, and nonsensical, but entirely true. She was fascinated by the brooding, intellectual youngest brother who was Carlisle's eldest son. Every time Emmett brought the girls to the Cullen home, Henderson was filled with an irrational, wild hope that she would catch a glimpse of the one who despised her.

Alice had told her once that Edward wasn't nearly as indifferent and unfriendly as he seemed. Henderson didn't buy it. She kept up her act of "I don't care if you don't care," and most of the time she could convince everyone that it was the truth. But secretly, in the deep, dark part of herself that she tried her damndest to hide, Edward's rejection hurt.

Henderson glanced down at her sister worriedly when she felt Roxanne wince after an incredibly loud hit from Carlisle's bat. "Are you okay?"  
Roxanne nodded. "Headache," she said softly.  
"Another one?" Henderson asked, biting her lip.  
"Mhm," Roxanne said, picking at the cuff of Emmett's hoodie. "They've been getting worse. I haven't told Em yet."  
"Do you think it means-"  
"Yes," Roxanne said, cutting Henderson off before she could say the words _do you think it means it's getting worse_. "I do."  
Henderson sighed. "Roxie, you have to tell him. Before it's too late to save you."

Roxanne didn't reply; her attention was diverted when Henderson started violently coughing.

"You've been smoking again, haven't you?" she asked accusingly.  
Henderson waved her hand dismissively. "I'm fine, Rox."  
"Bullshit," Roxanne said immediately. "You've had that cough since we got up here. What's going on?"

But Roxanne didn't need Henderson's confirming words; she had already felt her twin's aura, and knew the horrible truth. Henderson was dying just as quickly as her twin was. Suddenly Henderson's breathing problems made perfect sense, and Roxanne cursed herself for being so wrapped up in her future life with Emmett that she hadn't noticed her sister's plight earlier.

Carlisle noticed Roxanne's horrified face from across the field and sighed softly to himself, instantly realizing that she had learned the truth of Henderson's condition.

"Emmett," he said softly.  
"What's wrong?" Emmett asked tersely, his gaze already fixed on Roxanne's anguished face.

"She just found out about Henderson," Carlisle replied.

The words were barely out of his mouth before Emmett dropped the ball and sprinted to Roxanne. Edward walked over to Carlisle, brow furrowed.

"What's wrong?" he mirrored Emmett's question.  
Carlisle gazed at Edward for a moment, weighing the probable impact of his words on his son. "Roxanne just learned that Henderson has very advanced lung cancer."

As Carlisle had feared, Edward's face twisted into a mask of horror and agony. Silently, Edward walked away and into the woods, breaking into a run as soon as he was enveloped by trees.

He ran until he came to his meadow, his secret escape. He flung himself onto the ground, closing his eyes and losing himself in his anguish.

In the two months since Emmett had found Roxanne, Edward had steadily and irreversibly fallen in love with Henderson. But he had pushed her away as completely as possible, ruthlessly denying himself even the pleasure of looking at her, in order to keep her safe from the monster that was barely contained within him. He categorically refused to place Henderson in danger, and the greatest danger she could face was Edward himself.

Her scent still taunted him every time she came to the house. Each time, he had to fight back the instinct to lunge for her and drain her dry. The only force strong enough to combat his bloodlust was his love for her. He couldn't fathom harming her in any way, and so he kept his distance.

But that didn't stop him from emulating his brother and watching the house at night. He had taken over Emmett's post as silent guard, watching Henderson as closely as possible.

The thought that he was now to lose the object of his unrequited love tormented him. He toyed with the idea of revealing the truth of his feelings to her, of offering her an immortal life, before tossing that fantasy aside. Henderson had no reason to accept an eternity with the Cullens, except for her sister's sake. And even then, any of the others could turn her.

But not him. He had cut himself off from her, and now he would pay the price in being unable to save that which he loved above all else.

* * *

Emmett smiled to himself as he walked Roxanne to the car, minutely adjusting his cerulean tie. He had hatched a plan with Alice for tonight, and she was confident that everything would go perfectly.

"I have mentioned that you look beautiful, right?" he asked as they started the drive.  
Roxanne laughed. "Only three times in the last ten minutes."  
Emmett smiled. "Good. Because you are beautiful, you know."

He was rewarded by one of Roxanne's blushes, which contrasted delightfully with her royal blue dress, the creation of some French designer that only Alice had ever heard of. Alice had gone all out on her this afternoon, creating an elaborate hairstyle out of Roxanne's curls, turning her already beautiful face into an angelic creation with makeup. She looked perfect, gorgeous, exquisite, sublime… the English language didn't contain any words to describe her adequately.

"Emmett, where are we going? What are we doing?" Roxanne asked curiously.  
Emmett smiled wider. "If I told you, it wouldn't be a surprise, now would it?"

Roxanne's eyebrows rose as Emmett turned onto the normally invisible Cullen driveway. Tonight, however, the path had been lit for the entire three miles with Christmas lights wrapped around trees periodically.

"Em, what's going… on…" Roxanne trailed off as Emmett pulled into the clearing.

Alice had gone just as gung-ho on the front yard as she had on Roxanne. All the trees ringing the clearing had been wrapped in Christmas lights and gauze, and paper lanterns hung from their branches. Pedestals bearing vases of elegant floral arrangements were arranged around the tree line. There was a small table for two set up near the house, Edward's piano had been moved outside, and the rest of the Cullens, and Henderson- all decked out in formal attire- were waiting on the porch.

Roxanne stared in shock. "Emmett, what is this?"  
Emmett smiled, wrapping an arm around her waist. "Well, you told me that you didn't get a senior prom. Alice and I decided to throw you one of your own."

Roxanne's eyes brimmed with tears, and her face was lit by a dazzling smile as she threw her arms around Emmett. He hugged her close while the rest of the family smiled at them, each of them anticipating what was still to come.

Emmett led Roxanne to the middle of the yard as Alice turned on the stereo. The opening bars of _I Need You to Love Me_, by Barlow Girl, floated through the air. Emmett kissed Roxanne's forehead before lifting her so her feet were on his, and leading her in a graceful waltz. A moment later, Jasper and Alice and Carlisle and Esme had joined them.

Henderson leaned against one of the porch pillars, fingering the skirt of her blood red halter-top dress while watching her sister's blissful face. She knew that one of Roxanne's biggest regrets was the fact that she hadn't been able to attend her senior prom; she had been in the hospital at the time, undergoing her first round of treatment for the tumor. It was just as well that she hadn't gone, though, because her boyfriend had broken up with her as soon as he'd learned about Roxanne's condition.

When Emmett had come to her, asking for help for tonight, Henderson had instantly suggested this idea. Everything was perfect, and Henderson couldn't have been happier.

"Would you care to dance?" asked a soft voice by her side.

Well, perhaps she _could_ be happier.

Henderson turned to face Edward, surprised. None of the aloofness or disdain showed on his face now; it had been replaced by flawless courtesy, and elegant charm.

"Um… yes, of course. Thank you," she stammered, discombobulated by his sudden change in attitude.

He turned the full force of his devastating smile on her, instantly fogging her brain and stunning her and making her lose all coherency in word and thought. He led her out to the yard and held her in the formal way of the waltz, and within moments they were gracefully twirling and spinning through the clearing.

Henderson's thought processes weren't functional. She was much too busy drowning in Edward's smoldering golden eyes to notice that she was having trouble breathing, or even staying conscious. Something was changing between them, something was being silently admitted, and the steps of the dance were leading them to a new and undiscovered place. Henderson was sure that Edward wouldn't go back to ignoring her, not after this.

_Slowly_, Edward reminded himself. _Go slowly._ This night was, of necessity, for and about Emmett and Roxanne. There would be plenty of time after tonight to settle the score between himself and Henderson. For tonight, they need only dance.

Ten yards and millions of light-years away, Emmett was wrapped up in his own private world. The house, the clearing, his family, all had faded to insignificance and nonexistence as he held and was held by the woman he loved.

"Rox," he said softly, twirling them off further away from his family, all of whom were impatiently waiting for the moment that was about to come.  
"Hmm?" she asked lazily, looking up at him with stars in her violet eyes.  
He leaned down and placed his lips on hers, momentarily forgetting how his lungs worked. "I love you," he breathed.

Her eyes fluttered shut as she was hit with the full force of his cool, sweet breath, and had Emmett not been supporting her, her knees would have buckled. As it was, he held her close, closing his eyes, the sound of her rapid heartbeat filling his consciousness.

"I love you too," she replied softly, her near-whisper wrapping around him.  
"I love you," he repeated. "I want you. I need you. Forever."  
She stiffened, slowly lifting her head off his chest and looking up at him. "Emmett?"  
Swallowing hard, he slowly sank to one knee, pulling a small, square, black velvet box out of his pocket. "Roxanne Isabella Lee, will you marry me?"

Roxanne's jaw dropped, and her shock only increased as Emmett opened the box to reveal the ring- a square-cut peridot, surrounded by tiny diamonds, all set onto a platinum band. For a moment, she couldn't speak; she could only stare at him.

"Yes," she choked out before bursting into tears as Emmett slid the ring onto her finger.

A moment later, and they were embracing as if they feared letting the other go. Alice was the first to sprint over to them; she was followed by Esme, and then Carlisle and Jasper. Edward glanced over at his family, then smiled and shook his head.

"Finally," he muttered. "Took his sweet time getting that out of the way."  
"What?" Henderson asked, the sound of his voice pulling her out of her dazed state. "Did Emmett propose?"  
"Mhm," Edward nodded.  
"Oh, FINALLY!" Henderson exclaimed.

She broke away from Edward reluctantly and ran over to the huddle on the other side of the clearing, where Roxanne was being hugged by Alice and Esme both.

"Break up the vampire huddle, it's my turn! Let the human through!" she exclaimed, pushing her way through so she could throw her arms around her sister.

The sisters hugged fiercely, joy and despair sharing room in their hearts and eyes.

"God, it won't be too long now before you're married and immortal," Henderson said through her tears.  
"Oh, don't say that," Roxanne said. "You'll still be right there with me, right?"  
Henderson smiled weakly. "Till death do us part."

At that reminder of the quickly approaching separation, both twins dissolved once more into tears, hugging all the more tightly in their desperation. The Cullens watched them silently, knowing there was nothing they could do to ease the sisters' heartache.


	4. Three: Forever

**Author's Note**: Even though there is stuff that happens in this chapter, I can't help but feel like this is a filler, or a bridge. Sorry about that. I'll try to post the next chapter quickly to make up for that. Enjoy!

* * *

The sisters sat in Alice's enormous bathroom, trying their best to be as lighthearted and excited as they knew they should be.

"Roxie Cullen. It still hasn't sunk in yet," Henderson said, impatiently hooking her oxygen tube back over her ears. "You're actually getting married."  
Roxanne smiled as she strung on a pearl necklace of Esme's. "Don't worry, I haven't processed it either."  
"So we're at, what, T-minus 14 days?" Henderson asked, referring to the countdown until Roxanne's conversion.

Roxanne nodded silently, glancing at her sister out of the corner of her eye. Henderson had been steadily declining for the three weeks since Emmett had proposed. She was now forced by Carlisle to carry an oxygen tank, just so she could get through the day. The wedding today would likely be the last time Henderson was on her feet before Carlisle insisted she take to her bed and become an invalid. The infuriating thing was that Henderson refused further treatment, stating that it was her time to go.

Roxanne didn't accept it, and neither did the rest of the Cullens. But they respected Henderson's decision, and now everyone was focusing on making Henderson as comfortable as possible, and preparing to comfort Roxanne for the rest of eternity.

"Stop it," Henderson said, swatting at Roxanne's arm. "I see you watching me and waiting for me to faint. You're supposed to be focused on you and Em today, remember?"  
"I can't help it," Roxanne stated. "We'll be gone for two weeks after tonight, and I won't be able to keep an eye on you!"  
"Roxanne Isabella, stop worrying about me," Henderson said. "You focus on you and Emmett, your honeymoon, the conversion. I'll still be here when you get back, ready to make fun of you for turning into an undead mosquito."

Roxanne would have argued, but Alice handed her the bouquet, and it was time for the ceremony to begin. Alice and Henderson walked down the staircase to the first floor on the arms of Jasper and Edward. Roxanne followed with Carlisle.

The ceremony was very short and simple, as neither Emmett nor Roxanne had wanted a huge, elaborate affair (they'd had to argue long and hard with Alice about that one). The clan from Denali was in attendance (with them was Roxanne's friend Garrett), and a few others of the Cullens' close friends. Also there was an emissary from the Volturi, silently reminding the Cullens to tread carefully, and gathering information about the newest member of the Cullen coven for Aro, Marcus and Caius.

Ten minutes after Carlisle walked her down the aisle, she was Roxie Cullen, and her future was set.

Emmett and Roxanne departed soon after that for two weeks on Isle Esme. After they were gone, Carlisle and Esme breathed a sigh of relief, and showed the Volturi guard away with a promise to deliver Aro's gift of a stunning sapphire necklace, earrings, and bracelet set to Roxanne when she returned.

* * *

Henderson sat on the couch, sighing heavily and kicking off her heeled strappy sandals, which had been dyed to match her light yellow, strapless, empire-waist, ankle-length dress, cursing Alice all the while for choosing the death traps, and cursing Roxanne for allowing it. She leaned her head back and closed her eyes, noticing how very alone she felt, now that her sister was gone.

"Are you all right?" asked a quiet voice from behind her.

Henderson's heart started speeding, but otherwise she wasn't frightened by Edward's sudden appearance. She was getting used to his habit of appearing from thin air.

"I'm fine," she replied. "I just really want a cigarette."  
"No," he immediately said.  
She grumbled. "Fine, fine, Dr. Cullen, Jr."  
"I do hold two degrees in medicine," he said, gracefully sitting beside her.  
"Showoff," she muttered.

Their relationship, if one could call it that, had mostly taken the form of this back and forth banter. With every exchange, they had gotten more and more animated, more and more connected. Both now looked forward to attempting to rile the other; both walked away from the exchanges wanting more.

"Roxie worries about you a lot," Edward said matter-of-factly, easily using Emmett and Henderson's nickname for his new sister.  
Henderson rolled her eyes. "I thought I told you not to read her mind."  
"I don't have to," he replied. "It's written in her face. She's terrified of losing you."  
Henderson sighed. "I don't like thinking about losing her, either."

For a moment they were silent, each thinking about the fact that Carlisle had given Henderson a rough estimate of approximately six months left. Six months before she was six feet under.

"Any one of us could change you," Edward said in a barely audible voice, his eyes intent on his hands. "You're family, Henderson. We don't want to lose you any more than Roxie does."  
Henderson looked up at Edward, surprised. "But you're the one who's most strongly against turning us. Isn't that why you didn't want Em getting close to Rox?"  
Edward nodded, allowing that. "Yes. But watching Emmett… hearing his thoughts… He's never been happier, or more complete. Roxanne is who he wants, for eternity, and I could never stand in the way of that. Also…" He stared into space for a long moment, gathering his thoughts. "Carlisle would never take the life of someone who had another option. All of us should have died, but for those who Carlisle bit, he gave us a second chance at life."

He turned to face her then, and his golden eyes did that unfair smoldering thing again.

"For the longest time, I fought with myself, trying to understand why anyone would want to become what we are," he said. "Why would one willingly give up one's soul, one's very self, in exchange for eternal damnation?"

Henderson began to speak, but Edward placed one long, elegant finger against her lips. She instantly fell silent, dazed by his stone-hard, icy skin, and by his scent. Edward nodded once in recognition of her silence, then continued.

"And then I met you," he said, his voice dropping as the intensity in his gaze rose. "I hated you, at first. Your scent… it drove me insane. It was as if you were a siren, a devil conjured specifically to torment me. The siren's call was impossible to resist. Impossible. But I did it."

He shook his head, his gaze finding hers once more.

"Then, the more time I spent with you… just the thought of you being in pain or in danger was inexcusable. I could never harm you, nor let you come to harm. I tried to avoid you… you can't know how hard I tried." He smiled then, though his eyes were still serious. "But it was impossible to stay away. I wasn't strong enough to fight that hold."  
Henderson swallowed, trying to find her voice. "So… so what are you saying?"  
Edward drew a deep breath. "What I'm saying, Henderson Adrienne Lee, is that I surrender. I can't stay away from you anymore, and I don't want to. I love you. For you, I would do anything; risk the fires of hell itself, just to save you. Or, if it would save you, if it would keep you with me even a moment longer, I would damn you to what we are."

Her jaw fell open. She couldn't help it. She had to be hearing things, or dreaming; there was no way that this perfect, god-like being could ever want her.

He sighed. "I'm sorry," he said. "I know this must be the last thing you want to hear, but I can't control how I feel-"  
"Shut up," she managed to croak out. "I'm in shock, that's all."

He shut his mouth, watching her as she stared into space, trying to process what he'd just said.

"You… you love me," she said slowly, trying the words on her tongue.

Edward nodded silently, waiting for her reaction. She drew a deep breath, let it out slowly, then repeated the process three more times.

"Okay," she finally said.  
Edward's brow furrowed. "Okay?" he asked, frustrated anew by the fact that he couldn't just read her thoughts and end his suspense.  
"Mhm," she nodded. "Okay. So. You love me, and I love you, and now what are we going to do about it?"  
It was Edward's turn to be stunned. "You… love me?"  
Henderson wasn't so sickly that she couldn't give him a mocking smile. "And you're supposed to be so good at reading people."  
He smiled, then gazed deep into her eyes. "Keep very still," he warned her in a whisper.

She stared up at him, keeping as still as she possibly could. Her heart started pounding, and she started shaking, as he inched closer to her, slowly zeroing in on her lips.

She gasped as he kissed her, then had to pull away and cough violently to get her breath back. Edward winced and patted her back, his eyes widening when tiny flecks of blood came out of her mouth. In an instant he was gone, though he returned quickly with a cloth napkin to dab at her mouth. Henderson winced, panting and rubbing her chest.

"Ow," she rasped, taking deep, painful breaths through her nose. She glanced down at her dress, then winced. "Aw, damn, Alice is gonna _kill_ me for getting blood on this."  
"Are you all right now?" Edward asked.  
"Some water would be good," Henderson replied hoarsely.  
"Of course," he nodded.

He left and was back before Henderson could blink twice, and handed her a glass of cold water. She sipped it slowly as her breathing got back to normal. When she felt she'd recovered sufficiently, she turned to look at Edward.

"So, once again… Now what do we do?" she asked.  
"My personal preference would be that we see if this is possible," Edward replied.  
Henderson nodded. "I think I can live with that."

* * *

The effect Edward had on Henderson was incalculable. Granted, their relationship wasn't as harmonious as Emmett and Roxanne's; Henderson's temper was much worse, and she and Edward got into fights frequently. But they made each other happier than anyone had ever seen them before.

After many, many "heated discussions," Edward had finally been persuaded to bite Henderson. The tradeoff was that they would be married after the conversion. In Edward's mind, this was a perfect compromise, and an ideal way to make sure that Henderson stayed with him forever. In marriage-phobic Henderson, it was an unnecessary antiquated idea, but one which she would go through to make Edward happy.

Everything seemed like it was going right. Everything was perfect.

Now the trick was to try to keep it that way.


	5. Four: Damnation

**Author's Note**: This chapter is pure self-indulgence on my part. Because nothing amuses me quite so much as watching Emmett be more overprotective than Edward. Enjoy!

**Disclaimer**: I tossed in mention of Jimmy and Jack Rocco, two characters from another genre of stories I write. It's just a tribute, and a private joke for any readers out there who've known me long enough to get the reference.

* * *

Isle Esme was quite possibly the most beautiful spot in the world. The island wasn't particularly large, but it was covered in lush rainforest. There were several hidden waterfalls nestled in the tropic growth, and pristine white sand beaches rimmed the island. Best of all, it was absolutely and completely isolated. The only contact the island had with the outside world was the couriers who brought food and other necessities to the island once a day, so Emmett was free to walk around outside with Roxanne in the bright sunlight without fear of someone seeing him.

Emmett was blind to all the island's charms.

He sat on one of the teak chairs on the large porch that wrapped around the sprawling bungalow, staring bleakly out at the turf, horrifying images chasing each other through his head as they had for hours.

Inside the bungalow, he knew, nestled among the broken headboard, destroyed pillows, ripped-to-shreds down comforter and mosquito nets, was his sleeping bride. A bride who was covered from head to toe in black and blue bruises.

He should have known better, he silently berated himself. He should have known that a wedding night was a bad, bad idea, and should not have been attempted. He could have killed her, or broken her bones. Just the visible damage marring her fair skin was appalling enough.

It had been an incredible night, he had to admit, and on some level he couldn't bring himself to regret it. But no amount of pleasure was worth the damage he had inflicted on Roxanne. Nothing would excuse what he had done to her, and there was no way to justify even contemplating repeating the experience.

He would just have to wait, he told himself. He would have to be strong enough to not touch her, not until after she had been changed, and he couldn't hurt her again. He would force himself to be strong enough.

He didn't move when he heard Roxanne yawn and sit up. He didn't move when he heard her wind the sheet around herself and pad over to him, and he forced himself not to move when she sat on his lap and snaked her arms around him.

"You're up early," she teased him, laying her head on his shoulder.  
"I'm sorry," he said in a low voice, looking down. "We shouldn't have... We shouldn't have done it, Roxie."  
Roxanne raised her delicate eyebrows. "Why not?"  
He looked up at her incredulously. "Rox, have you not taken a look-"

He cut off upon taking a good look at her, then had to laugh.

"What?" she asked, confused.  
"Your hair looks like a haystack," he teased her. "I like it, though."  
"Oh," she said, smiling and running a hand through her messy hair. Her brows drew together as a few feathers floated onto her lap. "Why am I covered in feathers?"  
Emmett shrugged, attempting nonchalance. "I bit through a pillow. Or two."  
She smirked. "Oh?" she asked, leaning forward to lazily kiss his neck.  
Emmett barely contained a moan, instead gently pulling her away. "No."  
Roxanne raised her eyebrows once again. "No?"  
"Rox, look at yourself!" he exclaimed. "Look what I did to you!"  
Roxanne looked down, noticing the bruises for the first time. "Oh. Wow."  
"Yeah. Wow," he said dully, staring out at the ocean once again. "I'm not doing that to you again, Rox. It's not worth it."

Roxanne sighed, knowing it was useless to argue with him when he was in a mood, then stood and walked into the kitchen. Emmett stayed where he was, though he could smell her making herself breakfast, then heard her scarfing it down.

"Hungry?" he called.  
"A little," she said. "You?"  
He shrugged, then said, "I can manage it."  
He heard her sigh. "Em, you haven't hunted for a week."  
"I'll be fine," he insisted.  
"You're impossible."

He was going to answer, but the sudden thundering of her feet startled him. Quickly, he rose and went inside, finding her vomiting in the bathroom. He winced, then hurried to her side.

"Are you okay?" he asked as she stood.  
"Ugh," she moaned. "Bad chicken, I think. The smell made me sick after I cooked it, I shouldn't have eaten it."  
"There should be more food coming today," he told her, rubbing her shoulders.

Her eyes closed, and she sighed as she leaned back into him. Emmett had to grit his teeth and remind himself of his recently-made promise not to repeat the previous night's mistake, but it was really hard to keep to that promise when she was so unclothed, and so warm... He stepped away quickly, his hands clenched into fists.

"Maybe I should go hunt after all," he muttered.

He left before he could take another look at her, sprinting off and plunging into the forest, trying his damndest to hold onto his self-control before he tossed her onto the bed and made another mistake. He stayed away most of the day, swimming to the mainland when he found no game on the island. Part of him felt horrible for leaving Roxanne as he had, but he had to get himself under control before he came back to the bungalow.

When he finally returned, it was nighttime. The island was dark; even the bungalow lights hadn't been turned on. Emmett furrowed his brow, and silently walking into the house.

"Roxie?" he called.

There was no answer. He followed the sound of Roxanne's heartbeat into the living room, where he found her sitting on the couch, garbed in a simple white wrap dress, her arms wrapped around herself, staring blankly into space. She looked almost exactly as he had that morning.

"What's wrong?" he asked, instantly alert.

She didn't answer immediately. She stood slowly, and Emmett could see, even in the gloom, how pale and withdrawn she looked. She walked forward, her arms still wrapped around herself.

"Something's wrong," she said, her voice shaking.

She reached out and took Emmett's hand, then placed it against her stomach. He froze as he felt it, then shook his head.

Yesterday, her stomach had been flat, and as soft and supple as the rest of her. Now her torso was rock hard, and there was a little bump that hadn't been there before.

"No. No," he said, fear welling up in him.  
Roxanne bit her lip. "Em..."  
"No!" he exclaimed, shaking his head violently as if he could shake away the truth. "It's not possible, Rox. There's some other explanation. Anything else but... but that."  
"Emmett," Roxanne started again, refusing to help him lie to himself. "I think there's a very good possibility-"  
"No!" he nearly yelled.  
"That I'm pregnant," she continued, as if he hadn't spoken.  
"Roxanne... vampire pregnancies don't _happen_," he said. "They _can't_ happen."  
"Can't happen when it's two vampires, you mean," she said. "Last time I checked, I was human. I may be dying, but as far as I know I can still have a baby."  
"But... you can't... no!" Emmett said, shaking his head.  
"I was looking up some stuff online," she said, sounding calmer by the moment. "And apparently there are these myths about incubi and succubi-"  
Emmett groaned. "Please, please don't tell me you're comparing me to an incubus."  
Roxanne shrugged. "If the shoe fits..."  
Emmett shook his head blankly. "This can't be happening."  
"I suggest we call Carlisle," Roxanne said.  
"_I_ suggest we go home," Emmett said.  
"Isn't that somewhat melodramatic?" Roxanne asked.  
Emmett shook his head. "If you're actually pregnant, then we have to get it out. Now."

This statement had an alarming effect on Roxanne. She curled into a crouch, her arms wrapped around her stomach, she was glaring, and she snarled. Physically, there was no way she could harm Emmett, of course, but the effect was psychologically terrifying.

"You will _not_ abort my baby," she roared. "You won't lay a finger against it, Emmett Robert McCarty Cullen, do you hear me?"  
Emmett stared at her. "Rox, that thing will kill you!"  
"You won't touch the baby until I'm in delivery!" she yelled.

As suddenly as she'd adopted her defensive posture, though, she dropped it, and tears filled her eyes. Emmett, recognizing the dramatic mood swings that came both with pregnancy and with her brain tumor, sighed and walked forward to hug her as she cried.

"I'm sorry," she sniffed. "I didn't mean to snap like that, I just… I want this, Emmett."  
Emmett nodded. "Okay, Rox. If this is what you really want. But we really have to go home now, okay?"

Roxie nodded and padded to the bedroom to pack. Emmett sighed and glanced around the bungalow; so much for a honeymoon.

* * *

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN, SHE'S HOSTING A MUTANT BABY?!?"

Edward sighed; he should have predicted this reaction. Or if not him, then Alice should have seen it coming.

"Calm yourself, Henderson, this isn't good for you," he said, walking towards her.  
"This is **not** a time to be calm!" she roared, pacing agitatedly.  
"Henderson-" Jasper started.  
"Don't," she snapped, cutting him off. "None of your tricks, Dr. Feelgood."

Jasper sighed, holding his hands up in surrender and backing away slowly. He stood beside Alice, who had been on the phone with Emmett for well over half an hour, and exchanged long-suffering looks with Edward. Henderson returned to pacing angrily, completely ignoring the fact that she was rasping for breath.

"Henderson, calm yourself before you can't breathe," Edward tried to soothe her.  
"You told me that vampire pregnancies can't happen!" she yelled at him, hurling one of Alice's stilletos heel-first at him.  
He let it hit him, knowing that she needed to hit something, then winced when Alice glared at him for breaking her shoe with his forehead. "Yes, I did, because I didn't think it was possible. It's an old legend; we've never heard of it being true. I assumed there was no danger in consummating the marriage, besides the obvious ones of Em forgetting his strength and harming Roxie."  
"But you say this demon spawn'll _kill_ her? I call that danger!" Henderson yelled, terror showing through her anger.  
Edward took a deep breath, gauging his words. "Carlisle and I would do our best to keep that from happening."  
"Oh god," Henderson whispered, her rage forgotten as the possibility of losing her twin in this way sank in. "She can't. She's not strong enough. She has to get rid of it. Now."  
"She refuses," Alice said, snapping her cell phone shut. "There'll be no arguing with her."

The four of them sat quietly, knowing from Alice's tone that she'd seen this in a vision before calling Emmett and having him corroborate what she'd seen.

"So what do we do?" Henderson asked weakly.  
Edward was by her side in less than a second, wrapping his arm around her and holding her close. "I told you," he said softly, soothingly. "We're going to save her, and the little monster. Carlisle and I will find all the information on birthing half-vampire babies that we can, and we'll have contingency plans in place in case something goes wrong."

Henderson sighed and nodded, closing her eyes and laying her head on Edward's shoulder. Edward glanced at Jasper, who nodded and used his peculiar gift to put Henderson to sleep. Edward laid her on the couch, and then the three immortals settled in to wait for Emmett and Roxanne to come home.

It didn't take long; Emmett had gotten a private flight as quickly as obscene amounts of money could ensure. Esme was the one to usher them into the house as Emmett carried Roxanne in. From the way Roxanne had folded her arms, and the set of her mouth, she wasn't particularly happy about the arrangement.

"Welcome home," Esme whispered, motioning to the couch so the newlyweds would know that Henderson was asleep.  
"You really don't waste any time, do you, Em?" Edward asked in a low voice that did nothing to conceal his amusement.  
"You, zip it," Emmett growled, carrying Roxanne to the other couch.

As soon as he set her down and left to get their baggage, she had bounced back up so she could throw her arms around her mother-in-law.

"He's been _horrible_," Roxanne declared melodramatically. "Asked me every two minutes if I wanted pillows for my back, or water, or a foot massage, or aspirin… I've never been so babied in my entire life. Not even by my mother."  
"He's just worried," Esme replied, kissing Roxanne's forehead. "We all are."  
"No need," Roxanne declared softly but emphatically. "See? Still here, still alive and kicking. I'm fine."

No one said the words aloud, but the phrase _for the moment_ hung heavily in the air.

Emmett came back in from gathering the luggage, then gave Roxanne a dark look when he saw that she wasn't on the couch he'd deposited her on. With an exaggerated sigh, she stalked back to the couch and plopped down, folding her arms and glaring mutinously.

"This is gonna get really old, really fast," she muttered.

* * *

Two days passed in relative calm, but then Alice's gift had to go and disturb the peace.

"We should prepare for a visitor," she said, not quite able to mask the fear and apprehension in her voice.  
"Who's coming?" Esme asked warily.  
Alice smiled nervously, apologetically. "Demetri."  
Emmett snarled. "What does he want?"  
"He's coming to remind us of the rules concerning humans and… sorry, Rox… half-breeds," Alice hedged.  
Roxanne growled. "I don't care if the Volturi don't like it, I'm having this damn baby."  
"Of course you are, sweetheart," Esme said soothingly, rubbing Roxanne's shoulders.  
"Of course!" Henderson said sarcastically, leaning against the back of the couch. "Why wouldn't you want to host the little mutant parasite?"

Roxanne tilted her head back to glare at her twin. Henderson snickered, completely unrepentant.

"There's something else," Emmett said, staring Alice down.  
Edward read Alice's mind in a second, then groaned. "And he's being sent to see if Roxanne might possibly harbor a future gift."  
"NO!" Emmett roared.

In a split second, he had raced out the door, and was sprinting away as fast as his powerful legs could take him. Roxanne watched him leave, sighing.

"That didn't go well," she commented. "He's such a drama queen."  
Henderson snickered. "He's just worried about you."  
"No frickin' need!" Roxanne exclaimed. "I'm fine!" She shook her head before turning to Alice. "So? Is there a gift I should be aware of?"  
Alice shrugged. "Both you and Henderson carry possibilities. But nobody will know until you've been turned," she said, but she looked uneasy, and the words came out sounding as if she already knew the answer.  
"That's a yes, then," Henderson said.  
"Yay! Something to look forward to!" Roxanne chirped.  
"When will he be here, Alice?" Jasper asked, hovering over her protectively.  
"Soon," Alice sighed. "Next week."  
"Then we'd best prepare," Carlisle said calmly. "Alice, do you foresee any problems?"  
"No," Alice said confidently. "He's mostly being sent to observe. And to remind us to follow the rules, of course."  
"I think that the possibility of two new vampires with powers will outweigh the fact that we're bending the rules," Carlisle said. "We'll be fine."

* * *

Demetri arrived right on time, his menace seeming even greater because of his faultless poise and manners. Carlisle welcomed him to the house with his flawless courtesy, then led him to the living room, where Henderson and Roxanne were sitting on the couches, protectively surrounded by the entire family.

"Hello to you all," Demetri said pleasantly, his eyes on the humans. "It's nice to see you again."

The vampires all murmured welcomes, watching Demetri warily, ready to leap forward if Demetri made an unwelcome move towards Henderson or Roxanne.

"So, these are the new Mrs. Cullen and her sister, also soon to join the family," Demetri said, smiling. "It's nice to meet you both."  
"The pleasure is all ours," Roxie said, a pleasant, empty smile on her face.  
"Such a lovely home you've made here, Carlisle," Demetri said. "Aro will be pleased to hear that you're doing so well."  
"I hope you'll convey my warmest greetings to him," Carlisle replied.  
"I will be sure to do so," Demetri replied. "Aro was distressed when he heard that Roxanne had put her health on the line to have this child."

The pleasant mood broke then. Roxanne frowned and wrapped her arms around her stomach protectively, and Emmett crouched over her slightly, his eyes fierce, instantly in defensive mode. Edward and Jasper moved forward slightly, ready to restrain or aid Emmett, as needed.

Carlisle attempted to keep the peace. "Yes, I'm sure the initial reports must have been very confusing. But as you can see, Roxanne does not bear an immortal child."  
"Can you be so sure, Carlisle?" Demetri said. "How do you know the child will not be born an immortal, given its parentage? I'm afraid Aro feels he must come here personally, to sort this matter out for himself."

The threat made the family pause for a moment. The idea of having the Volturi clan anywhere near Forks was an idea too terrible to be contemplated. But they could think of no way to prevent that disaster from happening.

"Would that really be necessary, Demetri?" Roxanne asked suddenly.

The Cullens stared at her, surprised. The moment she spoke, Alice went rigid as a vision crowded into her head. Jasper took a step before her, to shield her from view, while everyone else's gazes were fixed upon Roxanne, who awkwardly forced her ravaged body to stand.

"There's really no need for Aro to inconvenience himself," she continued, working her hardest to make her voice sound both confident and soothing. "If he likes, I would be more than happy to travel to Volterra a few months after my conversion, to answer any questions he has."

The family froze, even as they realized what Alice's vision had to have been about. But there was nothing they could do to gainsay Roxanne, not now. She was saving the family, even if she was damning herself in the process, and all they could do was remain silent.

Demetri eyed Roxanne thoughtfully. "You would come to Volterra?"  
"Of course," Roxanne said pleasantly. "I know that I, for one, am curious to see if I bring any special talents with me to my new life. I would be grateful to Aro if he could help me develop those abilities, in exchange for easing his anxiety about my child."

Emmett silently groaned as Roxanne pulled out her trump card. If there had been any way to keep Roxanne from having to go to the Volturi, it was gone now that the idea of extra talents had been raised.

Demetri smiled, pleased. "I believe that Aro would agree to that, my dear. I will tell him to expect you in a quarter of a year at the latest."  
"Thank you, Demetri," Roxanne said. "I'll send word when I'm coming."  
"I'll come with her," Henderson said suddenly. "I'd like to meet Aro and the rest of the Volturi."

Edward froze at her declaration, but knew that there was nothing he could say to stop her, not while Demetri was there.

Demetri smiled, looking overjoyed. "Wonderful! I will be sure to tell Aro the news. Thank you for your time, Carlisle; as always, it's been a pleasure."

One final pleasant, yet somehow still menacing, smile, and Demetri was gone. The family stared at Roxanne silently for a moment, until they were sure he was out of earshot.

"Are you insane?!" Emmett yelled.  
Roxanne folded her arms and raised her head. "Hey, I got him off our backs. You should be thanking me, Cullen."  
"Roxanne Isabella Cullen, you damned yourself!" Emmett thundered. "Do you know what will happen to you in Volterra?!"  
"I don't care what happens to me," Roxanne replied, nearly as angrily. "As long as the family is protected-"  
"Roxie!!" he yelled, and then his anger broke. "Rox…"

She drew a deep breath, and suddenly she was in his arms, and she was crying. Emmett held her desperately close, covering her face with kisses. The family averted their eyes, giving them a moment of privacy, though their grief was shared by all the family.

"I'm sorry," she was saying. "But I had to save you all."  
"What point is there in me being saved if I don't have you with me?" he whispered. "My life has no point without you, Rox."

For a moment, Roxanne lost herself in the comfort of Emmett's arms, but soon she pulled away from him to face her sister.

"What were you thinking, Hendo?!" she exclaimed.  
"Hey, you're not doing this on your own," Henderson said, sounding very nearly like her old self. "If you insist on being stupid, I'm going with you to make sure you don't get yourself in too deep."  
"And what about Edward?" Roxanne asked.  
"What about Emmett?" Henderson returned pointedly.

For a moment, the twins glared at each other, before sighing at the same time and walking forward to hug each other tightly.

"Henderson… you're an idiot. But I love you," Roxanne said.  
"Yeah, yeah, I know," Henderson said. "I'm no more stupid than you are, Rox. Now let's not think about it anymore. We have to focus on making it to our conversions before we can even think about dealing with the Volturi."

* * *

It was sheer willpower that got Henderson and Roxanne through the ensuing month.

There could be no other explanation. Given the extreme strain their bodies were put through, the only reason they could possibly have survived was that they were too stubborn, and too attached to each other, to die.

Henderson had wasted away to practically nothing more than skin and bones, leading Roxanne to nickname her twin Jack Skellington. Edward desperately tried to keep her as healthy as possible, because Henderson was determined that she would be human when she held her niece or nephew. Then and only then would she allow herself to be converted, because she wanted to share the horrifying three-day experience with her twin.

As for Roxanne, the baby was killing her, and everyone knew it. She was just as skeletal as her twin, except for the grossly swollen abdomen that led Henderson to call her Santa Claus. The baby was a parasite, eating away her life force. But despite the toll it had taken on her, despite the emaciation, exhaustion, the child drinking her blood, and the broken bones, Roxanne adored the child growing inside her. She called it "my little nudger," and wouldn't hear a word against the baby that would kill her in delivery, if Carlisle, Edward and Emmett didn't act fast enough.

When faced with two such hard-headed, stubborn women as the Lee sisters, all the family could do was sit back and attempt to make them both as comfortable as possible.

"Hey, Santa, you dead yet?" Henderson called weakly as Edward carried her downstairs.  
"Nope, not yet," Roxanne replied in between long drinks of blood from the 64 oz cup she clutched. "How 'bout you, Skellington?"  
"Nowhere close," Henderson said, wearily nestling into the pillows Alice set behind her.  
"Good to hear," Roxanne nodded, lightly resting her hand on her stomach as she downed more of her morning smoothie.

The sisters watched as Alice, Edward, Jasper and Emmett all filed into the kitchen. They then glanced at each other and shrugged, mystified as to what the siblings were doing but not in much of a position to find out.

"Whatcha sucking down this morning, Dracula?" Henderson asked.  
"O neg," Roxanne replied. "My favorite."  
Henderson snickered weakly. "You realize this is screwing with your total?"  
"Not at all," Roxanne retorted. "We're not starting the tally until after I've been turned."  
"So what are you gonna name the little monster?" Henderson asked, changing topics on a whim.

Roxanne glared at her sister for the "little monster" comment; Henderson shrugged and grinned, unrepentant as always.

"I'll always call it a little monster, and you can't stop me," she grinned.  
Roxanne sighed, shaking her head. "I don't know about names," she said. "Em and I can't agree."  
"That's because your names are weird," Emmett nodded as he walked back in.  
"They are _not_!" Roxanne yelped. "They're old-fashioned, like everybody else's in the family. The kid has to fit in."  
"What're your options?" Henderson asked, tugging on Edward's hand until he picked her up and placed her in his lap.  
"I like James Robert, for a boy," Roxanne said.  
Henderson made a face. "I dated a Jimmy once."  
"Yeah, and he was an ass," Roxanne nodded. "Maybe not James, then. Garrett, maybe. Or Joshua. Em likes Jack Rocco or Dakota Ramone."  
Henderson tilted her head, raising her eyebrows. "Is he on drugs?"  
"I think he might be," Roxanne nodded.  
"What about for a girl?" Henderson asked.  
"I'm fighting for Rosalie Lillian," Roxanne replied. "Emmett hates it. He wants Emma Leigh. Maybe we can compromise on that one, and name her Emily Adrienne, or something."

Suddenly, Emmett tilted his head to the side, and quickly rose from where he had been squatting by Roxanne's head. Silently motioning to Jasper, he walked out the front door to see Sam Uley, Jacob Black, and two others of the Quileute werewolves standing in the tree line of the property.

"What are you doing here?" Emmett rumbled, keeping his voice down.  
"We need to speak to your leader," Sam replied curtly, his gaze flat and unfriendly.  
"We'll get him," Jasper cut in smoothly, gently pulling Emmett's arm and leading him inside.

Leaving Emmett to fume in the hall, Jasper walked into the living room, where Carlisle was doing a routine- and unnecessary- check-up on both Henderson and Roxanne. When he noticed his leonine son leaning against the doorframe, Carlisle excused himself and walked to the hall, knowing something was wrong.

"It's the Quileutes," Jasper said in a low voice as soon as they were out of the humans' earshot. "They're here. They want to talk to you."

A perplexed expression settled over Carlisle's handsome face. He fluidly walked outside, closely flanked by Emmett and Jasper.

"Hello, Sam," Carlisle nodded to the werewolf alpha and his pack. "What brings you over the boundary line?" he asked, subtly hinting at the treaty.  
"We came to remind you of the treaty," Sam said, taking a few steps closer, but still keeping a healthy distance between himself and the vampires. "Specifically your end of the bargain. Where you promised not to turn any innocents into creatures like yourselves."

A low but clearly audible snarl left Emmett's throat. Jasper laid a hand on his brother's shoulder, quickly putting his talents to work, as Carlisle took another step forward.

"Roxanne is my son's wife," he said. "She is carrying Emmett's child-"  
"A child that we cannot permit to live," Sam replied.

There was no hiding Emmett's furious snarl this time. It took both Jasper and Carlisle to calm him down and pull him back, and in those ten seconds, the werewolves had gone on the defensive. Even with Jasper's influence, it took a full five minutes before everyone was calm again.

"What if my family and I were to leave?" Carlisle asked. "If we changed Roxanne after she gives birth- because if we don't, she will die- and left? Never returned to Forks?"  
Sam considered that for a moment. "You would have to renegotiate with the elders."  
"If I may, I would like to meet with them, then," Carlisle said. "I don't want any trouble with your tribe, but Roxanne and her child, and her sister Henderson, will be joining my family in the very near future."  
Sam nodded. "You will come with us. Only you," he continued when Emmett and Jasper took a step forward.  
Emmett looked ready to commit murder, but Carlisle put a hand on his shoulder. "Stay with Roxie," he said in a low voice.

Mention of Roxanne brought some measure of sanity back to Emmett. He nodded and abruptly turned, storming inside without a backwards glance. After a second, Jasper followed him, and Carlisle walked out to meet with the Quileute elders.

"I don't like this," Emmett muttered.  
"I don't like it either, but snarling about it won't help anything," Jasper replied. "Carlisle is right. Roxie needs you right now more than he does."

Emmett heaved a great sigh, nodded, and walked into the living room, determined to keep the news from Roxanne. There could be no fooling Edward and Alice, however; he gave them a curt nod, then thought through the situation so Edward could inform Esme of what was happening. The vampires gave each other a quick nod, then as a group moved to keep Henderson and Roxanne diverted.

* * *

A tense hour had passed when calamity struck.

The quiet was shattered by a sharp and very loud _CRACK_ of a spinal cord being snapped, followed by Roxanne's scream of agony. She clutched her stomach, her face white for the moment before her body went limp.

Alice whispered the dreaded words. "It's time."

Things happened very quickly then. Edward, rigid with tension, raced upstairs to prepare Carlisle's delivery tools; since Carlisle wasn't here, Edward would have to act as surgeon. Emmett gingerly picked Roxanne up and sprinted upstairs to meet Edward.

The family sat very still, bound by horror as they heard bone after bone of Roxanne's body being broken, the screams of Edward and Emmett as they worked frantically to get the baby out, a sound like rock breaking, and Roxanne's one, agonized scream.

"EMMETT!! HENDERSON!!"

Jasper braced himself against the couch where a terrified Henderson lay rigid and tried his best to combat her horror and fear for her sister. But nothing Jasper could do could help Henderson. She started hyperventilating, then gagged and hacked up blood.

For a moment, time froze. Then Alice was tackling Jasper and wrestling him out the door, Esme was screaming for Edward, and he was barreling down the stairs, already covered in the blood of one sister. Upon seeing Henderson lying limp and still on the blood-spattered couch, he froze in terror.

"NO!!" he bellowed, before rushing forward.

He furiously checked her for a pulse. Upon finding none, he didn't hesitate a moment; he bared his teeth in a furious snarl and bit her, over and over, pumping her as full of venom as he could.

The sound of a thin, keening baby's wail mingled with the sounds of two frantic heartbeats as two bodies underwent the conversion to immortality.

* * *

Carlisle walked through the forest, keeping his mind carefully blank. The meeting with the elders had taken many long hours, but the deal had been made; there was no point in obsessing over it any more.

Of course Esme would be disappointed, but they had been getting close to the point where they would have to move anyways. They were all very used to moving, and at least they would all be alive, and together.

The deal had been made. The Quileutes would allow the Cullens to add Roxanne and Henderson to their family, and would not attempt to destroy Emmett and Roxanne's child, as long as the Cullens left Forks immediately after the conversions. The Cullens would never be welcome back to Washington again. It was a hard bargain, but one which Carlisle was willing to pay.

As soon as he got back to the house, he knew something was wrong.

The atmosphere was too quiet, too tense. There was a complete absence of sound, which made the two frantic heartbeats seem even louder.

"Oh no," Carlisle murmured, realizing what must have happened.

He rushed into the house. He found Edward in the living room, cradling the still, cold body of Henderson. Edward's eyes were dead as he bleakly stared into space, caressing Henderson's face. Carlisle stared at Henderson, amazed that she wasn't screaming and begging for death.

"What happened?" Carlisle asked, walking forward to check the progression of Henderson's conversion.  
"She coughed up blood. A lot of blood," Edward said blankly, his voice quiet and too even. "I had no choice."  
"Don't blame yourself, Edward," Carlisle said. "You did the right thing."  
Edward looked up at his father, torment written in every line of his face and every facet of his eyes. "Did I?"  
"Yes, you did," Carlisle said firmly. "You'll see that when the conversion is complete, and you have her forever."

Leaving Edward to his thoughts, Carlisle walked upstairs to the makeshift examining room he had set up a month ago. Here he found Emmett, who was anxiously guarding Roxanne's limp body, while cradling a little bundle of pink blankets.

"A girl?" Carlisle asked, a smile growing on his face.  
Emmett looked up, then nodded, relief flooding his face now that his father was home. "Emily Adrienne Cullen," he said weakly, staring down at his infant daughter.

Carlisle stared at the little girl, whose eyes were the same achingly deep blue her father's had once been. Emily had her mother's clear, fair skin and dark brown curls, her father's dimples and eyes. She looked up at Carlisle, her eyes trained on him, and she smiled. With that one gesture, she had her grandfather wrapped around her little finger.

Carlisle took a seat beside his son and his granddaughter, and he joined them in waiting.


	6. Five: Newborn

**Author's Note**: I do believe this is one of the shortest, if not _the_ shortest chapter in this story (except for the introduction, of course). But that's okay, because it's just a glorified filler. Things get fun in the next chapter- and by fun I of course mean angsty, complicated, and conflicted. So enjoy the fluffy filler!

**Disclaimer Number I Don't Remember How Many**: I had to borrow certain talents from Renesmee's for the purposes of my story, because nothing is more adorable than an overly gifted half-vampiric baby. I don't own the idea, but I figured since I stole most everything else about the Twilight universe, Steph wouldn't mind so much if I borrowed this additional detail.

* * *

The next three days were never-ending. The house was quiet, the entire family intent on the rapid heartbeats of the changelings, everyone waiting for the moment when that tatoo would cease forever. Though they all pretended to themselves and to each other that they weren't anxious, they were all uneasy, because neither sister had made any noise. Only the sound of their heartbeats could prove that they were not dead.

The one bright spot in the interminable waiting was Emily. She had had a firm hold on the heart of every member of the family since the moment Carlisle carried her downstairs to present her to Esme, Alice, Edward and Jasper. It had been three days, and Emily had yet to be out of someone's arms for longer than it took to change her diaper.

It became readily obvious that Emily was gifted. Even at only three days old, she already had the ability to repel anyone she didn't approve of, or feared, by opening her mouth and letting forth an unholy shriek, excruciatingly painful to the ear. The Cullens had learned this the hard way, when the werewolves dropped by to visit. They had sprinted back into the woods, yelping and howling in pain after she'd given forth a startled cry.

Because she wasn't able to communicate vocally, she had the additional gift of speaking through her thoughts, "talking" by touching the face of the one with whom she wanted to speak, then showing them a series of images to get her point across.

Finally came the moment they had all been waiting for; the moment when two hearts gave forth their final beats.

The Cullens all exchanged anxious glances. Edward and Emmett stood, identical expressions of fear and hope wrestling for dominance on their faces. After silently handing Emily to Esme, Emmett raced upstairs, while Edward looked down on Henderson's transformed body, waiting now for her eyes to open.

* * *

Time had lost all meaning an eternity ago. She had long since stopped trying to keep track of the seconds; the burning pain had been too much for her to focus on anything else. Dimly through the agony, though, she had heard one constant; someone breathing. She had instantly known it to be Edward, and the sound of his breathing had been what had gotten her through it all without screaming.

As she'd focused all her attention on his inhales and exhales, it had given her some measure of sanity, a way to disconnect from the all-encompassing torment. He mattered to her more than anything else; she would gladly endure this burning if, by walking through hell, she ensured herself an eternity of heaven with him.

She had repeated his name with each inhale and with each exhale. The sound of his name had become her lullaby, the phoenix song to quench the burning that devoured her alive.

And now it was over. It was finished. All she had to do was open her eyes and claim her prize.

When she opened her eyes, she was dazzled by a riot of color after an eternity of darkness. Within a 64th of a second, her vision had adjusted itself, but now her brain was overloaded by a billion tiny details. For an entire second, she was fascinated by the intricate texture of the fabric of the couch. Next, it was the dancing of the dust motes in the shaft of sunlight coming through the window that transfixed her.

And then, her consciousness was consumed by the sound of a perfect, velvet voice gone rough with anxiety and tension and excitement and love.

"Henderson?"

Her eyes shifted 13 degrees to the right, and then there he was.

Her breath was taken away by his sheer perfection, now magnified a million times past what she'd known when human. She had to stare at him for three whole seconds to absorb the beauty that had eluded her human eyes, and then she smiled.

"Edward," she murmured, her voice filling his ears and flowing over him like water in a brook.  
"Oh, Henderson," Edward sighed, gathering her in his arms and holding her close.

She threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly. She buried her face in his shoulder, deeply inhaling his scent into her lungs and whispering over and over how much she loved him.

"Not so tight, love," Edward said, sounding a bit choked.

She pulled back, stunned that she had actually hurt him. But the amazement only lasted half a second before she stood, testing out her limbs. Any memory of her human life that didn't have to do with Edward or her sister was already fading, but she could still remember how sick she had become, in the end. It was all gone now. Now she was perfect, like he was.

"A mirror," she said suddenly. "I need a mirror."

She couldn't quite believe what had happened to her, and would not believe it until she had seen the proof in the mirror. Would she be beautiful now? Was her skin as hard and cold as Edward's had always seemed to her? Had her green eyes turned black? Would she now sparkle in the sun? Would she look like a monster, a predator?

Alice smiled, loping upstairs with her quick dancer's step and returning a moment later with a full-length cheval mirror. She set it up before her new sister, then stepped back so Henderson could examine herself.

Henderson took a step closer, trying to integrate the vision in the glass with the memory she had. This couldn't be her. The stranger in the mirror was beautiful in an elfin way, her features pixie-like, similar to Alice. She was beautiful, and strong, and absolutely foreign.

Slowly, though, Henderson started to see herself in the stranger. Though her eyes were now blood red, they still held the same sarcastic gleam; her smirk was likewise identical. Her posture still exuded confidence to the point of cockiness, and she still looked badass- just a hell of a lot more badass than she had been before.

Slowly, she smiled. "I like it."

The longer she looked in the mirror, the more she remembered something, someone important.

"Where's my sister?" she asked, turning. "Rox is gonna freak."  
"She's upstairs," Alice replied carefully.  
Henderson furrowed her brow, confused by Alice's response. "Alice?"  
"She hasn't opened her eyes yet," Alice said.

Without another word, Henderson darted upstairs, turning invisible in her speed. She wasn't sure what her twin was up to, not waking up to her new life yet, and she tried to squelch the fear that Roxanne hadn't been strong enough to endure the burning fire, that Henderson had been left to carry on in this new adventure alone.

* * *

It had been a baptism by fire. She had thought that she would be prepared for the pain, but it had been absolutely beyond description in its intensity. When she thought that it couldn't possibly get any worse, it doubled in concentration as the venom repaired her broken spinal cord. The agony had been unendurable; only the thought of the angel waiting for her on the other side of hell had kept her silent. Anytime she was tempted to scream in pain, she would think of him, would think of the pain she would put him in were he to know what he had done to her. So she was silent.

The sweetest blessing in the world had been when the burning began to slowly subside. She had seized upon each part of her body as the fire left it, analyzing every difference between the new feature and what she had remembered of it when she was human. She knew every centimeter of her body, knew exactly what she was capable of.

Now the fire was dead. She was a new creature. It was time to wake up.

"Roxie," breathed a voice next to her ear.

She knew that voice, would have responded to it awake or asleep… or dead. Issuing a soft sigh, she turned her head infinitesimally to the right, seeking the source of the voice.

"Rox, open your eyes," he whispered. "Come back to me."  
"Emmett," she sighed.

It was her voice, but it was so much more now. She had often been told she had the voice of an angel, but it had never been true until now. Slowly, she opened her eyes, then smiled when her eyes focused on Emmett's dumbstruck, awed face. Easily, she rose into a sitting position, marveling at the absolute lack of pain in her head. The tumor had been burned away by the fire, and the damage repaired. Now she was perfect.

"Emmett," she whispered again, fingering his face.

He reached for her, and then she was in his arms, and his lips were on hers, and she was in heaven. Everything was magnified a thousandfold from what she had known when human. Roxanne couldn't breathe; didn't need to. All she needed was what Emmett was giving her.

Someone cleared their throat from behind them. "Y'know, I'm glad you two are so happy, but you're not the only ones in the house. Be kind. Spare me the nausea."

Roxanne pulled away from Emmett and turned to see Henderson standing there, her hip cocked out and her arms crossed. A huge smile broke out on her face as she leaped up.

"Hendo!" she cried, throwing her arms around her sister.

Roxanne's complete joy came through her voice and diffused through the entire house. The twins laughed and hugged each other, ecstatic that they would never now be parted.

"My baby!" Roxanne gasped suddenly, pulling away from Henderson. "Where's my baby?"  
"Our daughter," Emmett smiled. "Emily. She's downstairs. She's waiting for you."  
Roxanne smiled, but then paused. "Do you think it's safe?"

Emmett bit his lip, fully understanding Roxanne's fear. She was a new-made vampire; it was a miracle that she wasn't raving for blood yet. But could she really be in such control of herself that the scent of Emily's blood wouldn't drive her into a mad bloodlust?

"Maybe we should go hunt first," Emmett conceded. "As a matter of fact, I insist on it. I want your eyes to turn gold as fast as possible."  
Roxanne shuddered. "Then let's go hunt. Now."  
"I heard something about hunting," Edward said, walking in.  
Emmett made a face. "My wife and I are going hunting. Alone. You're not invited."  
"Too bad," Edward said. "I'm taking Henderson."  
"Oh for goodness' sake," Roxanne muttered.

She glanced at Henderson. _Shall we leave them to bicker and teach ourselves to hunt?  
_She was only a little startled when she heard her sister in her mind. _Thought you'd never ask._

Turning as one, the twins leaped out the open window and landed lightly on their feet. As they tore into the forest, Roxanne burst into laughter.

"We're telepathic!" she crowed.  
"I'm less than surprised," Henderson answered her. "We always did know what the other was thinking."  
"Yeah, but now we can actually _hear_ each other," Roxanne grinned.  
Henderson glanced behind her, then sighed. "We're being followed."

A moment later, Edward and Emmett caught up to them. The four vampires slowed to a halt in a small clearing.

"Did you really think you could outrun me?" Edward asked.  
Roxanne shrugged. "I'd hoped. But since you're here..." She turned to Emmett and tilted her head. "Teach me to hunt," she demanded in her most charming voice.  
"It's not that hard, really," Emmett said. "Close your eyes and smell the breeze."

Roxanne and Henderson did as they were told. Henderson's face crunched in disgust, but Roxanne's lit up.

"Something smells good!" Roxanne chirped.  
"Do we smell the same thing?" Henderson grumbled.

Edward and Emmett smelled the air, then laughed.

"That's a grizzly," Emmett said smugly.  
"See ya!" Roxanne grinned before taking off after the bear.  
"Oh Lord…" Emmett sighed before chasing her.  
Henderson shook her head. "I should've figured she'd go for bear. Edwaaaaaard!" she whined, tugging on his arm. "I want something that smells good!"  
Edward smiled. "Come with me."

Leaving Emmett and Roxanne to their bear, Edward took Henderson's hand and led her deeper into the forest. Henderson's eyes narrowed in concentration as a scent hit her nose.

"How does that smell?" he asked, though he could guess the answer.  
"Wonderful," she moaned, before glancing at Edward. "Are you reading my mind?"  
"No," he sighed. "I still can't hear it. But it was fairly obvious, from the look on your face."  
"So what is it?" Henderson asked.  
Edward smiled smugly. "Mountain lion."

Henderson smacked her forehead with her palm, then shrugged and took off after the big cat, her thirst driving out all other thoughts from her mind. Edward smiled to himself and followed her, drawing even with her and silently challenging her to a race. With a wild, carefree laugh, Henderson took him up on his challenge, and sprinted at full speed through the trees.

Unbridled joy surged through her body as she ran close on Edward's heels. She had never felt this free, this happy. She was, for the first time, really and truly _alive_, and she reveled in it.

* * *

Edward and Emmett kept Henderson and Roxanne out hunting for a few hours, so the girls could get used to the speed, the strength, the agility. When they had begun to get the hang of their new, indestructible bodies, they all returned to the house.

Henderson elected to wait outside for a while, so that Roxanne could see her daughter first. Edward sat on the porch with Henderson while Jasper walked out to meet Emmett and Roxanne. Cautiously, Emmett and Jasper led Roxanne into the living room, on high alert in case Roxanne lost control.

"It's okay, Rox," Emmett murmured in encouragement. "We won't let you hurt her."

She stood at the threshold of the house and just looked in for a moment. Esme was holding a small bundle of pink blankets. When she heard Roxanne, she turned and smiled.

"We've been waiting for you," she said.

She stood where she was, allowing Roxanne to walk inside at her own pace. Roxanne took it slowly, one step at a time, evaluating herself every nanosecond. So far she was doing alright; she could easily hear the hummingbird heartbeat of the baby, and could smell the infant's blood coursing through her veins. But the overwhelming thirst she had been expecting wasn't there. Her throat burned, yes, but she didn't feel the need to satiate the thirst.

When she was only ten feet away, the baby stirred in her grandmother's arms, looked up at Roxanne, and smiled.

And Roxanne was lost.

"Oh, you precious little thing," she breathed, gliding forward as if in a dream and taking Emily from Esme. "Hello, Emily. I've been waiting to meet you for so long…"

Everyone tensed, watching, but Roxanne merely cradled her baby, cooing to her softly. Emily looked deep into her mother's eyes, and laid a hand on Roxanne's cheek.

In Roxanne's mind came the picture of her own face, right after she had given birth to Emily. She was ravaged and looked half-dead, but tied in to the image was a love so strong and complete that it left her breathless.

"Whoa!" Roxanne yelped, staring down at her daughter in shock.

The Cullens laughed softly, relaxing when they saw how under control Roxanne was.

"Emily has a very unique way of speaking," Carlisle smiled. "I'm not sure yet if she'll be able to speak vocally."  
"What do you mean?" Roxanne asked, her brow furrowing. "Is there something wrong with her?"  
"No, no, sweetheart, not at all," Esme soothed her.  
"When Emily is displeased, she lets out an unholy shriek," Alice grinned. "Like Em when he's hunting bears in the spring."

Roxanne laughed, and looked down at Emily in awe. She walked swiftly to the leather armchair closest to the glass wall, and settled down to get to know her daughter. The Cullens looked at each other in surprise, but soon put Roxanne out of their minds, as Henderson was slowly walking in with Edward.

Roxanne turned and grinned at her sister. "C'mere, you have to see her!"

Henderson approached slowly, her eyes wary. She stopped three feet away, furrowing her brow in concentration. Then a look of determination appeared in her eyes, and she boldly leaned down and picked Emily up out of Roxanne's arms. The family stared in shock at the sisters as they both cradled Emily.

"How is this possible?" Jasper asked, confounded.  
"Mind over matter," Edward murmured, a faint smile on his face.  
"Translation: They're both too damn stubborn to let thirst keep them from being good monsters," Emmett laughed.


	7. Six: Division

**Author's Note**: Henderson and I come from a generation of quizilla authors who injected magic into their Green Day fanfictions. So when we started writing Twilight RPs, we couldn't resist sliding in a magical element via extra vampire powers. By and large, Henderson took her vampiric powers straight from canon. I took mine from _The Odyssey_ and from the paranormal realm.

I lied in the last chapter, where I said that it was one of the shortest in the story. The rest of these chapters are going to be on the short side- ironic, considering most of the angst and action happens in the next three chapters. But I hope that what they lack in length they make up for in good story.

**Disclaimer**: I stole a line from _Wake Me Up When September Ends_, by Green Day. There are a couple of reasons why- (a) Just to make Henderson laugh (b) That line is one that I traditionally used on quizilla when I started writing about things going bad (so it's one of my characteristic tells) (c) It's a good line, so why not use it? But if you try to call Billie Joe to tell him I stole his line, you won't find him. I keep him in my room. Besides, he lets me do anything I like with his music and the world he created, so long as I promise him a happy ending.

* * *

The next three months were happy ones for the Cullens. Edward and Henderson had quickly gotten married, to absolutely no one's surprise (but to Alice's great displeasure, as she had been cheated out of planning a lavish affair once again). Henderson and Roxanne were the perfect additions to the family; Edward and Emmett had never been happier, and Esme about burst with satisfaction every time she looked at them. The family was finally complete.

It became quickly apparent that the girls were supernaturally gifted, as Alice had hinted. The girls had retained their telepathic link, but it was a closed circuit; Edward couldn't hear Henderson's thoughts by reading Roxanne's mind, nor could the girls hear the mind of anyone else in the family. Henderson and Roxanne laughed about it and called it their "little secret." Edward called it "incredibly unfair."

Henderson was the ultimate in self-defense. Her mind remained as impenetrable as ever, and now she had the ability to shield others from psychic harm. Additionally, she was able to completely mask her scent and the scents of others from any creature.

Roxanne had quickly learned that she had been blessed with a voice that could truly have belonged to an angel, or a siren. It allowed her to manipulate people much the same way as Jasper. Any emotion she poured into her voice, she could make everyone around her feel. Anything she wanted someone to do, she had only to focus and speak her wish, and the person she focused on would be undeniably compelled to do her bidding. In addition to that, her gift of reading auras had blossomed into an ability to instantly read people- their characters, their strengths, their flaws.

A month after the girls' conversion, the Cullens had honored their agreement with the Quileute pack, and had left Forks behind. They had settled in Prince George, a small town in the British Columbia province of Canada. Carlisle was working in the ER of the hospital and teaching courses via telecom, while Jasper and Alice attended the local college, College of New Caledonia. Jasper was, ironically, studying Psychology, while Alice had gone for Philosophy. Edward and Emmett were focusing all their energies on being with their mates, helping them adjust to the life they seemed born to have lived.

But as a very wise man once said, _the innocent can never last_.

When Roxanne felt she couldn't put it off any longer, she wrote a letter to the Volturi, informing them that she would be happy to come to Volterra whenever they wished her presence. A week later, Demetri once more darkened the threshold of the Cullens' home.

"My dear friends," he smiled as he walked into the living room. "So wonderful to see you again!"  
"The pleasure is all ours," Carlisle said with his flawless manners. "How are your masters?"  
"They're all very well," Demetri smiled. "Though Aro does wish you would come to Volterra with your daughters, Carlisle. He has missed you."  
"As I have missed him," Carlisle said. "Perhaps another time."  
"Of course," Demetri nodded. "Where are Henderson and Roxanne?"  
"Finishing packing, Carlisle replied. "They will be downstairs momentarily."

Upstairs, Henderson and Edward walked around their room silently, finishing loading her steamer trunk with anything she might need for the next- who knew how long a period of time? They both tried to move as slowly as possible, but it was still much too fast, and all too soon, it was time for Henderson to leave.

She fidgeted with the black cocktail dress Alice had chosen for her to wear, wishing that she could just wear jeans and a hoodie. She hated being this dressed up, but at least Alice had consented to letting Henderson wear black flats instead of heels. Edward helped her into her black knee-length trench coat silently, then stood back as Henderson checked her make-up and sleek hairdo for the millionth time.

"How do I look?" she asked, not trusting herself to glance at him in the mirror.  
"Beautiful," he replied. "And very European. I miss your jeans and Converse."

Henderson managed a broken laugh, barely. They turned to face each other, identical expressions of anguish on their immortal faces. Silently, Henderson raised her hand and stroked Edward's face with her knuckles once. Then she grabbed her steamer trunk and left the room, wishing for the first time that she was human, so she could weep.

Two doors down, Emmett was crushing Roxanne in his arms, refusing to let her go. Instead of struggling, she clung to him just as tightly, burying her face in his massive chest.

"You don't have to go," he whispered. "You don't."  
She sighed. "Take care of Emily."

For a moment they were silent, knowing that Roxanne was going to miss so very much in their daughter's development. It was a grief that Roxanne wasn't sure she could bear- but she had to bear it.

She stepped away from him, smoothing down the skirt of her A-line, charcoal gray wrap dress. She strapped on her stilleto heels, then reached for her white knee-length trench coat. She ran a hand through her curls before pinning them back in a half-ponytail. When she was ready to go, she turned back to Emmett, anguish in her eyes.

"I'll come back, I promise," she vowed. "No matter what happens or where I am, I will never for a second stop thinking about you. I love you, Emmett."  
"I love you too, Rox," he whispered.

She looked up into his eyes, and then his lips were on hers, and her resolve to leave crumbled once again. For a moment she clung to him, holding him as close as she possibly could. Where she found the willpower to leave him, she didn't know, but she pulled away, grabbed her luggage, and walked out the door, struggling to compose herself.

"Ah, here they are!" Demetri nearly crooned as Henderson and Roxanne walked downstairs. "The Mrs. Cullens."  
Roxanne managed to smile at Demetri. "It's good to see you again, Demetri. Shall we?"  
"Just a moment… where is your child, Roxanne?" Demetri asked. "Surely you'd want to bring Emily along."  
Roxanne brushed aside the implicit threat in Demetri's words with her beautiful smile and the full effect of her vocal talents. "I would have loved to, but for right now, she should remain with Carlisle, so he can watch her development."  
"Of course," Demetri nodded, dazed. "Well, come along, then."

The sisters took one last glance at their family before following Demetri out to a black stretch limousine. He insisted on putting their luggage in the trunk for them, and then ushered them into the car before it shot off.

Henderson took her sister's hand covertly. She knew her sister better than she knew herself, and could read every emotion Roxanne was feeling as if it were all written down on her skin. Roxanne was in agony, and consumed with worry and fear for her husband and daughter. They were fears that Henderson knew were echoed on her face.

"Aro will be so happy to see you," Demetri said. "He has been very impatient this past week."  
"As have we," Roxanne managed to say.  
"All the traveling accommodations are in order," Demetri said. "Aro has ordered animal blood for the both of you for the duration of your visit."  
"That's very kind of him," Henderson said, not missing the strange gleam in Demetri's eyes.

She squeezed her sister's hand. _Something's wrong.  
__Of course something's wrong,_ Roxanne mentally sighed. _There's always something wrong.  
__The Volturi are up to something.  
__Still not surprised. They're the Volturi, they're always up to something. At least we're together.  
__For now.  
__Pessimist.  
__Realist.  
__Same difference._

* * *

The trip to Volterra was interminable, but uneventful. Not much was said; not much needed to be said. Demetri was leading the girls to a glorified prison sentence, one which they would serve without complaining in order to save their family.

Finally, Henderson and Roxanne were shown into a tastefully opulent room where, sitting on identical thrones, Aro, Marcus and Caius Volturi were waiting.

"Ah, and here are the new Mrs. Cullens!" Aro said, his voice a feathery sigh, as he stood and glided towards them. "Henderson, Roxanne, welcome to Volterra."  
"Thank you for inviting us, Aro," Roxanne said, concentrating all of her attention on keeping her voice even and worry-free. "And thank you again for your beautiful gift," she said, fingering the sapphires she wore.  
"Yes, thank you, Aro," Henderson said, motioning to the ruby earrings, bracelets, and ring she had been given upon the occasion of her wedding to Edward. "They're beautiful."  
"I am delighted you like them. But where is your daughter, Roxanne?" Aro asked.  
"Emily is with Carlisle and Emmett," Roxanne said, the tension showing only in the rigidity of her back. "We decided she wasn't quite old enough for travel. I'm sure you understand."  
"But this will not do," Aro said, his words made more menacing by his extreme courtesy. "It is not proper to divide a mother from her child. I will send for her immediately. Demetri, Felix, show our guests to their quarters."

Felix and Demetri stepped forward, somehow looking even more menacing than usual. Henderson and Roxanne exchanged panicked, despairing looks, but there was nothing they could do but follow the two soldiers out of the throne room and to their chamber.


	8. Seven: Imprisonment

**Author's Note**: I know that I do a lot of romantic scenes, but I have to say that this and the next chapter are my favorites in this story. I'm so glad that nobody is as cruel to me as I am to my characters, because I can't imagine what would happen to me if I were put in the situation that I put Hendo and Rox into.

But I can't take credit for this idea. Every once in a while, when my de facto brother Rob is in a good mood, he'll tell me a story. One of those stories is the inspiration for what I did in the next two chapters. I do hope you enjoy it.

Finally, yes I did purposefully end the chapter where I did. Any readers who might know me from quizilla know that I have a sick obsession with cliffhangers. It used to drive people -cough-Sara-cough cough- absolutely insane... which is exactly why I did it so often, hehehehe. I can't help myself; I love ratcheting up the dramatic tension. So enjoy freaking out.

**Disclaimer**: Even though I still haven't persuaded Stephenie to let me own Emmett, I _do_ own the phrase "golden goddess." Haha. It's a private joke between a couple friends and me. I couldn't resist throwing it in as just a flyaway mention.

* * *

Within two days, it became obvious to the sisters that they had been deceived. It hadn't been them that Aro was curious about; he wanted Emily. She was a novelty, a liability, incredibly dangerous… and incredibly fascinating. Henderson and Roxanne had merely been a means to the desired end. Granted, they did have gifts that Aro yearned for, particularly Henderson; they would both be most welcome to join the Volturi clan- if they brought Emily with them. And Aro had shown that he would do anything to persuade, coerce, or force them to surrender what he desired.

The sisters had been locked into the top room of the tallest tower in the palace, and placed under constant guard. No one was to go in save Aro, and no one could leave. The sisters were not to be allowed to feed- not animal blood, not human; nor could they have any sort of diversion from the bare room until they agreed to call the Cullens and ask them to bring Emily to Italy. Aro refused to call the family himself, stating that inviting Emmett and Emily to Italy should be a natural impulse for Roxanne, springing from her maternal instincts.

When five weeks had passed and Henderson and Roxanne still categorically refused to cooperate, their imprisonment grew more severe. Until then, they had been imprisoned in the same room, and had a window to look out of. Now, they were put in separate cells in the dungeons. There was no light, and very little room to move around. Not that moving was really an option, because the sisters had been put in chains that extended only three feet from the wall. They were in solitary confinement here- no light, no sound, no anything.

The punishment had been intended to terrorize them into confession, but Aro, having never touched the sisters' hands, wasn't aware of the twins' psychic link. That telepathy proved to be their one tenuous link to sanity, what kept them from surrendering to Aro's demands.

They were growing weak from starvation. They amazed their guards; no prisoner had lasted three weeks without feeding, let alone three months. But still they refused to give in to Aro's demands. It seemed that Henderson's threat was true; the only way Aro would get to Emily was over the sisters' ashes.

And it looked as though Aro was beginning to contemplate enacting that threat, and finding some other way to get to Emily. Unless the twins could think of a plan quickly, they were as good as dead… again.

* * *

Emmett growled to himself as he paced across the length of the Cullens' yard, arms folded tightly across his chest. Every time he passed the porch, he would throw a glance to the porch swing, where Emily lay asleep in Edward's arms. And every time he looked at her, his heart would lurch. She was only nine months old, but she already looked at least four. She was growing so quickly… and Roxie had missed so much.

Emmett clenched his jaw as his mind raced through the same worries for the millionth time that day, as he had done since the day Roxanne and Henderson left.

Why had she not called? It had been six months, and he'd not heard a word from her; not even a call confirming that she was safe in Volterra. He knew that Aro would likely keep the sisters busy, but it was completely unlike them to go without a word.

Following the concern came the anxiety. What if Roxanne had _wanted_ to leave? What if she was happy by Aro's side? What if it had never been Emmett she wanted? What if she had only desired a way to keep living, and he'd been a convenient means to reach that end?

He always felt guilty for those thoughts, but he couldn't banish them.

A dozen times he had packed an overnight bag, and been on the verge of flying to Italy after her, before stopping himself. Roxanne had gone to Volterra- or at least, it had been her excuse for going- to save the family. If he took her now, he would get Carlisle in trouble with Aro, and that was the last thing he wanted.

But he missed her. He wanted her back, had to see her again, needed to show her how their daughter was growing. He wanted to see the sunlight shining on her and turning her into a golden goddess, to hear her delighted laughter, to smell her unique, divine scent.

Edward watched Emmett's pacing, not needing to read his mind to know his concerns. It had been six months, but there hadn't been a word from Henderson or Roxanne. Both brothers feared that they would never see their wives again, wondered if they had been willing to leave the family they had only recently joined.

"Maybe we should go to Volterra," Edward broached, voicing the thought he had entertained for the last four months.

Emmett scoffed, but Edward knew how the wheels had begun to spin in his brother's head.

"What would that solve?" Emmett asked. "Suppose they tell us to go away?"  
Edward swallowed hard, trying to demolish the lump in his throat. "Then at least we know for sure where they stand. But we owe it to ourselves- and to Emily- to find out if they're coming back."  
Emmett stopped pacing, and sighed heavily before nodding. "Get Carlisle," he said dully.

Moments later, Carlisle, Esme, Alice and Jasper walked out onto the porch. Emily stirred in Edward's arms, opened her eyes, and reached for Alice with a delighted smile. Alice crooned to her niece as she lifted her and cradled her, holding her close.

"Emmett and I are going to Volterra," Edward announced.  
"Oh, I know," Alice chirped.  
Emmett turned to his sister listlessly. "What do you see?"

Alice closed her eyes and was silent for a long minute. Then her arms went slack. Esme rushed forward and caught Emily before Alice had dropped her an inch, then passed her to Emmett as Jasper rushed towards Alice.

"I can't believe I didn't see that… they must've made sure not to think about it… those complete…" Alice's voice died to a mumble as her eyes flickered beneath the lids.  
"What is it? What do you see?" he asked urgently.  
Alice's eyes snapped open, and she looked furious… and terrified. "We should all go to Italy. But when we go to see the Volturi, Esme should stay behind with Emily. Under no circumstances can we let Aro see her."

Everyone nodded, accepting whatever it was that Alice had seen.

"We'll leave tonight," Carlisle said. "Everyone get ready."

Emily looked up at her father, confusion on her face. She held her hand up to Emmett's cheek, showing him Roxanne's and Henderson's faces, then furrowed her brows in question. Emmett nodded and kissed Emily's forehead.

"We're gonna bring your mama and auntie home," he lied, stroking her curls with one hand.

Emily smiled widely and squirmed happily in Emmett's arms, easily submitting to the pampering. Emmett kept his face clear with effort, determined not to let Emily know how much he doubted what he had told her.

* * *

The plane landed in Rome just after dawn. They stopped only to deposit Esme and Emily in a small hostel before they rented a car and sped off for Volterra.

"How long do we have before they know we're here, Alice?" Carlisle asked quietly.  
Alice's petite hands tightened on the steering wheel. "Not long. We'll be lucky if we get to the city before we're escorted to the palace," she said, her voice hard.  
"Let them come. If they try anything, we can take 'em," Emmett grumbled, glaring out the window.

Everyone rolled their eyes, but privately they all agreed with Emmett's attitude. They were all furious, though some hid it better than others, and were all (with the exception of Carlisle) itching for a fight.

Alice parked the car outside the city walls, then turned to face the rest of the family. Her elfin face was deadly serious, and her words nearly sunk in her throat, so loaded with importance were they.

"Edward, Emmett, you can't be seen," she said. "Sneak around the castle and use one of the lower windows to get in. Then go down. Henderson and Roxanne are being held in the dungeon."

Emmett's hand tightened so much on the headrest of Carlisle's seat that he snapped it in half, but he said nothing.

"Jasper, Carlisle and I will distract Aro, Marcus and Caius," she said. "We'll say we finally came for that visit we promised Aro. I can't guarantee how much time we can give you, so you've got to hurry. Get them out, steal a car, and fly them home. Don't wait to meet us, we'll join you back in Canada."

The family exchanged glances, bidding each other silent farewells and wishes for luck. Then Edward and Emmett slipped out of the car and started running, while Alice, Jasper and Carlisle walked through the forbidding front gates.


	9. Eight: Broken

**Author's Note**: I said it last time, and I'll say it again- I absolutely love this chapter. It was so fascinating, seeing how Henderson and Roxanne dealt with what happened to them, how their psyches used different methods of protection and coping. This is a short little chapter, but I don't mind. Enjoy!

* * *

Edward and Emmett were silent as they walked through the lower levels of the Volturi castle. It was surprisingly easy to find the dungeons, which mercifully were completely deserted; the hard part was trying to find Henderson and Roxanne.

"This is the first time I've ever wished that Rox was still human," Emmett muttered. "It'd be easier to find them if they still had heartbeats."

Edward nodded, concentrating all of his efforts on trying to hear Roxanne's thoughts. For a long time, there was only silence. Then, finally, he heard something- the broken, half-remembered phrases of a song.

_I need you to love me… and I… and I… I won't keep… my heart… from you this time… and I'll… stop this pretending… that I… that I can… remember the words to this bloody song… goddamnit…_

Edward was almost tempted to laugh, but the weakness and exhaustion he heard through Roxanne's thoughts were too worrisome. After another moment, she couldn't even sing in her mind anymore, and a litany of images was all that Edward could catch from her. He had the feeling that she thought of these memories like some people pray, as a way to keep her morale up.

_Emmett's face at the wedding, watching her walks down the aisle… Seeing Emily for the first time… Henderson laughing in Edward's arms… Esme sitting in Carlisle's lap in the living room while he read the paper and she flipped through a home improvement magazine… Jasper and Alice dancing through the living room… Emmett at his favorite cliff in Washington… The house Esme had restored for them… Her wedding ring… The night Emmett proposed… Human memories of herself and Henderson… Emmett's face at the wedding… Emily… Henderson…_

"Here," Edward breathed, stopping before a formidable wooden door. "She's here."

The words were barely out of his mouth before Emmett pushed him aside and punched through the door. When he'd demolished it, he stepped inside, and stopped short.

"I can't see a thing."

Edward pulled Henderson's Zippo from his pocket and lit it, then handed it to his brother. In the process, the fire threw a beam of light on a huddled, pathetic mass in the corner.

"Oh my god," Emmett breathed.

She was chained to the wall by her wrists and ankles, but she didn't need the manacles anymore to keep her in place. She was absolutely skeletal, wasting away, and she was filthy. Her clothing was mere rags, all of her jewelry, including her wedding ring, was gone, she was barefoot, her hair was beyond saving. Her eyes were a dull, dead black. She was obviously starving to death.

And she was absolutely wild. As soon as she saw Emmett and Edward, she bared her teeth in a feral snarl, and lunged forward as far as the chains would allow her, ready to rip them apart if they came any closer. She was more monster than angel now, and Emmett felt his unbeating heart break.

Emmett grabbed the Zippo from Edward and took a step forward, kneeling down so he could get a better look at the pathetic creature that used to be his wife. When the light came close to her eyes, she flinched and howled weakly, abandoning her attempt to fight in order to huddle back into her corner, covering her eyes with her hands.

"Rox," Emmett whispered. "Roxie, c'mon. It's me. It's Emmett."

He handed the Zippo back to Edward, then slowly began to move closer. Roxanne huddled into the wall… until she caught Emmett's scent. She didn't smell him until he was a foot away, proof of how much her faculties had shut down since being put in this prison. But once she knew it was him, all the fight left her. A whimper left her throat, and she collapsed into his arms. Great, wrenching, tearless sobs shook her frame and nearly broke her as she clung to him.

"I'm here, baby," Emmett whispered, holding her close. "It's okay, I'm here. I'm gonna take you home, love. It's okay. I've gotcha. I'm here."

Emmett broke her chains with a flick of his wrists, then gathered Roxanne into his arms. She cuddled into him, hiding her eyes from the light. Emmett left the cell as quickly as he could, shuddering.

"Roxie, where's Henderson?" Edward asked softly, trying to mask the urgency in his voice.

She appeared to not have heard him. But before he could ask again, she lifted one frail arm to point up.

"How far up?" Edward asked.

It took another long minute, but finally Roxanne spoke.

"One… floor," she said, the mangled, garbled words sounding and feeling alien on her tongue. "Right… a-above."

Edward's face hardened in a mask of determination. He stepped back into the cell, considered for a moment, then punched his way through the low ceiling. He leaped easily into the new cell, and came face to face with the woman he'd never stopped thinking about.

"Henderson," he breathed. "Hendo, it's Edward. I'm going to bring you home."

She looked at him with blank, dead eyes. She didn't try to attack him, as Roxanne had done to Emmett; she just watched him. It was as if she were dead already.

Moments later, Edward jumped back through the hole and joined his brother, Henderson in his arms. Roxanne looked at her sister for a long moment, then turned back to Emmett.

"S-S-Stopped… talking b-back," she said with difficulty, tapping her head. "W-Weeks ago."

Edward flinched, hoping that with food and time to rest, Henderson would recover from the ordeal. The brothers headed outside without another word, wanting to be as far away from the prison as possible. Emmett hijacked the nearest car, and within two minutes they were racing off to the airport.

"Roxie, how long were you in there?" Emmett asked as they zoomed down the highway.  
Roxanne's brow furrowed as she tried to remember. "T-Two… d-days after… we… c-came… we g-got put… in… con-confinement. P-Put in darkness five… weeks later," she said. The words were coming easier now, but she was still struggling to string them together, to pronounce the words properly. "I… w-w-would… not bring… E-Emily. Aro… n-not happy."

Emmett clenched his jaw. "You don't have to worry about Aro now, love. He won't touch Emily. She's safe. And we're going home."

Roxanne looked up at Emmett, looking like an innocent, broken child. "Emily… big?"  
Emmett nodded, trying to swallow the lump in his throat. "Yeah. She's beautiful, Rox. Just like her mother."

There was silence from that time on. Edward managed to get a private jet to bring them back to Canada, and they spirited the girls onto the plane as quickly as possible. No one said a word during the flight; both girls lay limply in their reclining seats, their eyes closed, as close to sleep as a vampire could get. Edward and Emmett kept silent vigil over their wives, praying to a power that neither was sure they believed in that their wives would be restored to them.

* * *

The family knew that the Volturis' vengeance would be swift and terrible, but they didn't allow themselves to think about it. They had more pressing matters to attend to, such as nursing Henderson and Roxanne back to health.

The sisters were far too weak to hunt, so Edward and Emmett had gone on a massive hunting spree, collecting as much blood as they could siphon into large drums. From this supply, Carlisle fed the girls. He put them on a diet similar to what starving POWs would be given; he started them with tiny, frequent meals, hoping to slowly work them up to a normal diet.

After a couple of days, Roxanne began to improve. Her color began to return, and Carlisle began to hope that she would gain her weight back. Esme and Jasper helped her regain the powers of speech; Alice pampered and babied her to help her relax; Emmett and Emily bolstered her spirit. Carlisle was fairly certain that, given time, Roxanne would be restored to her former self.

Henderson, however, was a different matter.

She had retreated deeply into herself during her six-month ordeal. So deeply, that Carlisle privately feared there would be no extricating her. Her psyche had been deeply wounded, and she was completely unresponsive to Carlisle's administering and Jasper's manipulative talent. She spent all of her time sitting before the window, silently staring out into the forest. She never moved, and she never made a noise.

Roxanne was upset by her twin's behavior, of course, but she had become used to Henderson's unresponsiveness during their captivity. It had always been Henderson's habit to isolate herself when things got difficult, and Roxanne trusted that someday, Henderson would return. So she kept talking to her twin both vocally and mentally, doing what she could to tempt her sister to return to life.

Edward was worried sick. He feared that Henderson could not recover from the hurts she had received, that she would never be who she was. He feared that his wife was gone forever, and he knew he couldn't endure that. He spent almost all of his time sitting beside her, holding her hand, watching her and waiting for a miracle.


	10. Finale: Negotiation

The call came completely out of the blue.

The family had, of course, been expecting the Volturi to attack. But they had been sure that the confrontation would occur in Canada. They had been so sure that Aro, Marcus and Caius knew that they had relocated.

Carlisle had been closest to the phone when it began to ring. He picked it up nonchalantly, expecting it to be one of his colleagues or students.

"Hello?"  
"Dr. Cullen, this is Sam."

The entire family (except, of course, for Henderson) froze, whipping their heads around to look at the stunned Carlisle. After a split-second pause, Carlisle cleared his throat.

"Hello, Sam. What can I do for you?"  
"I realize that this is unprecedented, but we need your help. A band of cold ones has come to Forks, looking for you. They killed one of our brothers last night."

Carlisle's eyes closed, and for a second he said nothing. Everyone exchanged glances, wondering which of the shape shifters had been killed by the Volturi.

"Of course, we'll come," Carlisle said. "Would we be allowed to reside in our old house for the duration of our stay?"  
"Yes," Sam said grudgingly. "Make no contact with the humans, of course, but you will be free to hunt as you need. Anything else you need will be provided for you. Please hurry."  
"We'll be there as quickly as we can," Carlisle promised before hanging up.

For a moment, he merely took in the faces of his family, weighing the necessity of going against the health and safety of his daughters.

"They need us," Roxanne said, looking stronger than she had since she'd been rescued. "The Volturi are killing them to get to us. We have to help them."  
"We will help them," Carlisle said. "I'm only wondering how much you and Henderson can take, so soon after-"  
"I have strength enough for this," she cut him off, standing and slowly walking to hers and Emmett's room to pack.  
Carlisle nodded, then looked at Edward and Henderson. "Edward? Henderson?" he asked softly.  
Edward shook his head, anguish in his eyes. "Carlisle, I don't think-"

He cut off, though, upon seeing Henderson turn her head for the first time in days. She looked at Carlisle silently, her eyes firmly trained on his face.

"I'm going," she said clearly.

Then she stood and headed for her room.

The family stared at each other in shock, but had no time to wonder how fully Henderson had recovered, or how permanent the recovery was. They broke as one, each heading in a different direction to prepare for another confrontation.

* * *

Carlisle had called to the Cullens' "cousins," the Denali clan, and asked them to stand with them for this showdown with the Volturi. They had readily agreed, and now Eleazar and Carmen, Irina, Kate and Garrett, and Tanya stood beside their friends, waiting.

At Alice's suggestion, they had chosen to meet the Volturi in the clearing where they used to play baseball. Henderson and Roxanne stood in the middle, Roxanne holding Emily close. Edward and Emmett stood by their mates. Jasper and Alice stood beside Emmett; Carlisle and Esme stood by Edward. The Denalis arranged themselves on the outer flanks. The shape shifters stood off to either side, waiting in the tree line.

Alice stood waiting, her eyes trained on a certain spot on the opposite side of the field. Carlisle glanced at his daughter.

"How long?" he asked quietly.  
"Now," she replied, her voice dead.

Right on cue, lines of black-cloaked figures glided through the forest and began walking towards the two families and the pack. They stopped as if responding to a silent order, parting ranks to admit a small cluster to advance. Aro, Marcus, Caius; Alec, Jane, Chelsea, Corin, Demetri, Felix, Heidi, Renata, and Santiago.

Edward tensed upon seeing the entire Volturi family facing them. "Execution without trial," he whispered, so low that only Henderson and Carlisle could hear him.

Aro stepped forward, holding his hands out. "Carlisle, my friend," he sighed in his high, breathy voice. "How delighted I am to see you again, and so soon!"  
Carlisle stepped forward, seeming perfectly at ease. "I was surprised to hear that you had come here, Aro. I wasn't aware that there was an emergency in the area. It's good to see you again."  
"And here are Henderson and Roxanne, safe and sound!" Aro continued, smiling. "I must confess, I was horrified when I learned that they had been kidnapped."  
"Kidnapped," Emmett scoffed. "Liberated is more like."

Carlisle threw his brawny son a warning glance, then turned back to Aro. Aro's smile faltered, and his eyes narrowed slightly. Jane, seeing her master's expression, leaned forwards slightly, an expectant smile on her face.

The Cullens and Denali shifted uneasily upon seeing the demonic little Jane so anxious to use her torturous gift. But Henderson merely narrowed her eyes and focused, spreading her mental shield over the group easily, protecting them from anything Jane might try to throw at them. Roxanne, upon feeling what Henderson was doing, reached over to take her sister's hand and began to hum, just loudly enough to manipulate everyone into calm. Bolstered by her sister's support, Henderson redoubled her efforts, feeling stronger than she had in months.

"They were our welcomed guests, Emmett," Aro stated, folding his hands.  
"You imprisoned them," Edward said, malice barely restrained beneath his velvet voice.  
"They were disobedient," Marcus supplied, sounding as bored as always.  
"Disobedient?" Jasper asked, raising an eyebrow. "You mean they refused to join you? Refused to surrender Emily into your hands?"  
"It seems to me that imprisoning Henderson and Roxanne serves two purposes," Alice chimed in, her voice deceptively sweet.

Aro's eyes narrowed further; he knew exactly what Alice's gift was, and it was obvious that Alice had information about why Henderson and Roxanne had been so heinously abused.

"One, imprisonment could be used to force their compliance, to coerce them into joining the Volturi guard," Alice said. "Both have gifts that could be incredibly useful. All Aro would have to do in order to force their compliance in producing the immortal child would be to find the right form of imprisonment. Second, upon hearing that their wives were imprisoned, Edward and Emmett would surely come to Volterra, raising hell and demanding that Henderson and Roxanne be freed. That would give the Volturi a very convenient reason to state that the Cullen clan had become too large and powerful, and would allow for their complete extermination."

There was silence when Alice finished speaking. The Cullens and Denali remained quiet, but the looks on their faces were incredibly accusatory. The shape shifters growled as they appeared in unison from the forest and arranged themselves around the Cullens and Denali. The Volturi army shifted uneasily, waiting for commands from their leaders.

Aro's eyes narrowed, but he didn't deny the accusations. "I am sorry you see us in that light, my dear," he said, his voice hardening. "We merely came to assure ourselves that Henderson and Roxanne had been returned safely home."

It was a bald-faced lie, and everyone knew it. But no one spoke, waiting to hear what Aro would do next.

"Carlisle, my old friend," Aro said, trying a different tactic. "I must confess, I have been dreadfully worried since hearing about the birth of little Emily. If you could assure me that she poses no risk…"

Roxanne's eyes widened drastically, and the rest of the family got defensive. Would Aro really try to exterminate Emily, on the basis that she was an immortal child?

"We have already told you numerous times, Aro," Carlisle said patiently. "Emily is not an immortal child, but a half-vampiric one. She is half human; surely you can hear her heartbeat, see the blood pumping through her veins. However, if you cannot be convinced in any other way… Roxanne?"

Roxanne clenched her jaw; she was seeing her worst nightmare come true. Allow Emily so close to the Volturi? Never!

Emily wriggled in her mother's arms until Roxanne fearfully set her on her feet. Emily walked right up to Aro, her hands swishing the skirt of her blue velvet dress around, quite unafraid. She looked up at him, her big blue eyes wide and innocent.

"You're Aro?" she asked in a beautiful siren's voice. "I'm Emily Adrienne Cullen."

Roxanne stared at her daughter, hearing her voice for the first time. Emmett wrapped his arm around Roxanne's waist, supporting her.

Aro smiled and bent down until he was on one knee, eye to eye with the little girl, looking like a delighted grandfather. "Yes, my dear. I am Aro Volturi. I am very glad to meet you at last, Emily."  
"Daddy told me that you were worried that I was a vampire," Emily said, emotion making her voice tremble. "But I'm not. I drink blood sometimes, but only when Daddy lets me. He and Grandpapa make me eat human food too. And I still have a heartbeat, and I don't really sparkle in the sun, not like Mama and Daddy and Aunt Hendi and all the others do, and I'm not as cold as they are. I'm not as strong, either. I'm still partly human, honest! I won't hurt anybody. I know how to keep secrets, and I never bite people, because Daddy said it wasn't polite." Emily tilted her head up to Aro, her eyes welling with silver tears. "Please, I don't want my Mama and Daddy to be in trouble because of me. I'm not dangerous, I promise!" she cried.  
Aro smiled at Emily, utterly enchanted. "My dear, your parents aren't in any sort of trouble. I merely wished to be certain that you were not an immortal child. I see that you are not. Therefore, there is no dilemma."

Roxanne and Henderson exchanged glances. They could see Caius' anger, Aro's disappointment. Emily and Alice had trapped the Volturi, rendering them unable to act without breaking their own laws and revealing themselves as tyrannical despots. But was it enough to secure their safety?

Emily rushed back to Roxanne and Emmett. Roxanne bent to gather her distraught daughter in her arms; Emmett wrapped his arms around both of them, holding them close. Everyone was silent, waiting for Aro to speak.

"I can see that my fears were unfounded," he finally said. "How wonderful! And now we can take our leave, assured that our friends are our friends still."

Everyone exchanged glances, hoping that it truly would be that easy. Aro looked closely at Carlisle.

"But, my old friend," he said, taking a long look at the Cullens, "your coven truly is getting large. Large enough, perhaps, that you could draw yourself undue attention?"  
"We've been lucky so far," Carlisle said neutrally. "It hasn't been a problem yet."  
"Yes, of course," Aro said. "But of course, you aren't going to add to the coven any time soon…?"  
"I can't promise anything, Aro," Carlisle said. "Not when I hadn't counted on Henderson, Roxanne and Emily. But as far as I can, I can give my conditional promise that no more will join my family."  
"Of course," Aro said, a strained smile on his face. "Well then, goodbye, my friend."  
"Goodbye, Aro," Carlisle said.

The Cullens and Denali stood and watched silently while the Volturi and their army left. When they were gone, everyone visibly relaxed, shaken and weak with relief.

"They'll be watching more closely from now on," Alice said. "We'll have to be extra careful to cover our tracks, and to not make anyone suspicious."  
"Which we can do," Carlisle said. He turned to the shape shifters. "Thank you," he said sincerely.

The wolves turned around and melted into the forest once more. A moment later, Sam and Jacob appeared in the field. They stepped closer to Carlisle than usual, but still kept a healthy distance between them.

"Thank you for your help," Sam said. "Will they return?"  
"I don't know," Carlisle said honestly. "I would hope not, but I can't be certain."  
"If there is a risk that they could be back, and return in those numbers, then perhaps we should re-negotiate our treaty, so that you can help us guarantee the innocents' safety," Sam said slowly.  
"I would be happy to, if the elders would allow it," Carlisle said.

Emmett shook his head. "Never thought I'd see the day that we'd be cooperating with dogs," he muttered.  
Alice laughed. "Well, I never thought I'd see the day when you wound up married and a father," she said. "Nothing will ever surprise me after this."

* * *

The treaty was arranged to everyone's satisfaction. The Cullens would be allowed to remain in the American Northwest, as well as in Canada. They would even sometimes be able to return to Forks, but the entire coven could never come together again- it caused too many werewolves to reappear among the Quileutes.

Carlisle and Esme immediately moved back to Forks. Carlisle returned to the hospital, to the delight of the humans. They settled in for a quiet living for as long as they could stretch it, with many visits from their children.

Edward and Henderson left for the East Coast, to attend night classes at Harvard. Edward was studying medicine (again); Henderson decided to tackle law. After the Volturi had left, Henderson had slowly begun to come out of her shell once again. She would always bear the psychological scars of her imprisonment- she would always be a little quieter, a little less brash- but there was finally hope that she would be alright.

Jasper and Alice went on a long trip down South and to Mexico, tracking down old bits and pieces of Jasper's history… and so Alice could get her fill of her latest passion, turquoise jewelry.

Emmet, Roxanne and Emily settled down in Seattle. Emmett worked as a political bodyguard while Roxanne went to school for dance and Emily discovered a passion for car mechanics.

It wasn't the kind of life that Henderson and Roxanne had pictured for themselves.

It was better.

Forever young, forever strong, forever happy… they would always be in the dawn of their lives, and they welcomed forever with open arms.

* * *

**Author's Note**: And I'm sad to say that that's the end! Thanks so much for reading and reviewing. This is _Forever Dawn_, signing off.


End file.
